


Stockholm Syndrome

by birdie_romanova



Category: Loki: Agent of Asgard, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Friendship, Slooooow burn, graphic violence so read with care, loki/oc - Freeform, slight Steve Rogers/Oc
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-07
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-09-07 05:04:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 73,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8784208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/birdie_romanova/pseuds/birdie_romanova
Summary: "Stockholm Syndrome, feelings of trust or affection felt by a victim toward a captor." Loki looked to her, a cocky smirk on his lips. Kara grinned at him before speaking "Ah but you see, you seem to think that I've fallen for you, when in fact, it's the other way round." Karaline Stockholm comes face to face with a man she hasn't seen in years, but who seems to know something about her family, and her past. Loki/Oc, slight Steve/OC takes place near the end of "The Avengers," And stretches into "Thor: The Dark World."





	1. Chance Encounters

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt to publish on this site! Visit my profile for details and fan art!

Welcome to my story! please enjoy!

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The first time he saw here was on a planet called Earth, in a place called New Mexico. The late summer air boiling around him as he battled in the streets. Though he cared not, his timing had been impeccable, his battle with his brother aligning perfectly with the time that the high schoolers had been released from classes. The girl, oblivious to the chaos just beginning to broil in town, decided to walk the few blocks to the home she shared with her grandmother. Had the weather been just a few degrees hotter, and she had decided to hop onto the bus instead, she would have found herself home much earlier. Curled on the couch with her grandmother, watching fearfully over the television as the man in green wreaked havoc on their city; and her life would have been a very different thing.

As is was, the weather was tolerable, and deciding against the stuffy but, the girl found herself taking the left turn past the oriental pet store and into the middle of an unearthly and tense stand off between a man in red, and a man in green. The street had been uncannily silent and still up until the moment where an uninvited girl appeared. There was no traffic, foot or automotive. Pedestrians and drivers unknowingly avoiding the place with no conscious thought other then knowing in their souls that they did not need to go down that road. So the street stood as still and silent as a ghost town in the middle of bustling New Mexico. The two men stood at opposite ends, staring each other down, waiting for the other to move first.

As it so happened, neither of them had to, because of the young auburn haired girl who strolled into their midst at precisely the wrong second. Unknowingly making the first move before either of them had the chance to. The man in green saw her first, and the girl had not even had the chance to register her confusion before a parked car was somehow hurdling towards her.

That was the first time she'd ever been the target for brutal murder. The first time she'd ever been saved by Thor, though she didn't know him then. The first time she'd ever appeared brave in the face of imminent danger, due to the fact that her feet seemed glued to the spot. And, as she lay huddled behind the car he'd thrown, her arms over her head to protect herself from flying debris from the unintentionally triggered battle, it was the first time she saw him. That day was a day of many firsts for Karaline Stockholm.

In contrast to most fairytales, she was not immobilized by love when she saw him, but instead by fear. And in that brief instance when he'd seen her, before instantly deciding to exploit his brother's sense of empathy for humans by baiting him with the girl's untimely death by car, there had been no spark of romance. Nor did the world freeze. And though he did grin in satisfaction when Thor pushed the girl down, it was not because he was glad that she had survived the car skimming mere inches over her head, but because Thor had taken the blow meant for her; as Loki knew he would.

After that chance encounter, he promptly forgot about her. He had many more important things to think about, and a mortal he'd half heartedly tried to kill did not weigh heavily on his mind, if it ever did at all. Later though, when they saw each other again, he would remember those electric blue eyes.

She, on the other hand, thought of him far too often. She would wake up in the night, covered in a cold sweat, too horrified to make a sound as her mind replayed the incident over and over. She did not know that to him, even the thought of a mortal was a waste of time, so two years of therapy did nothing to lessen her paranoia that one day, who would return to kill her. Perhaps she gave herself too much credit, but such is the way of humans.

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Since he thought of her not at all, and she thought of him all too much, it was she who recognized him a year later, in Stuttgart, Germany. She was visiting the country for winning an international contest with her friend Emmy Anders. The winners were given free tickets to Germany, and an invitation to hear the famous doctor who'd sponsored the contest speak at the Stuttgart Gala. Since everyone in her science class had been required to enter the contest for a grade, and Emmy and Kara's project just so happened to win, Kara's class had decided to fundraise in order for them all to go.

Kara swayed her head to the music, the orchestra doing wonders to calm her nerves, which had been on high wired mode since she and her classmates had landed in Germany. With the fussing about and trying to renew her passport just days before the trip, Kara had completely forgotten to pack any formal attire, and so had needed to rush off immediately after getting settled into her hotel room to purchase something suitable. She'd ended up with a simple black dress that was within her price range. After with just thirty minutes before the event, the female chaperone was unwilling to let Kara attend with her "hair in that haphazardly swept up rat's nest" and regardless of the fact that Kara had done her make up and and was wearing strap-y black heels, she refused to let Kara leave the hotel until she'd taken her pony tail out and combed through it half-heartedly with her fingers.

"That actually looks a lot better." Emmy had remarked, crunching some of Kara's unruly auburn curls between her fingers to give them volume. "You look older. Sexy."

Kara felt a tap on her arm and turned to see Emmy holding two glasses of pink punch, her round face beaming.

"Isn't this cool?" She gestured to the people around them, all dressed in their finest. "I don't think I've ever been anywhere so fancy!"

Kara smiled at the chubby blonde. "Yeah! It's pretty amazing, isn't it? I feel like I'm not qualified to be here at all!"

"Tell me about it." Emmy giggled nervously. "Mr. Benson looks so uncomfortable." Kara glanced over at their science teacher.

"Yeah. I've never seen him so flustered. He really admires this doctor, huh? What was his name again? Doctor what?"

"Hell if I remember." Emmy shrugged. "You know, you look pretty nervous yourself. I have a joint in my purse. You wanna go outside? Take the edge off?"

Kara thought about it for a moment. "Maybe later." She said. Emmy looked disappointed. "What? Don't think you can wait that long?"

Emmy grinned. "I don't know. I'm about to crawl out of my skin. But I'll wait for you."

Kara had tried pot a few times with Emmy, and thought it was fine, but with all the people and bright lights, she didn't think a single joint would do so much to take the adrenaline edge off unless it was the size of a small child. "I don't really feel like it tonight," She told her friend honestly. Then she had a thought, and began to giggle. "Why don't you offer to share it with Mr. Benson? He looks like he could use it."

Emmy snickered. "I would, but ten bucks says he's got his own. Look- there he goes." Kara followed the teacher with her eyes as he made his way through the people under the balcony to the front of the building. A small movement caught her eye, and she looked up.

The There, standing on the balcony and gazing over the crowd with disdain, was him.

Trying desperately to remain calm, Kara closed her eyes and opened them again. She felt her stomach drop when he was still there. This time he was looking directly at her, his green eyes boring into hers for the briefest of seconds before kara looked away.

"Hey, Kara, are you feeling okay?"

Kara swallowed, a cold sweat breaking out all over her body. "Yeah."

"Don't BS me right now." Emmy missed nothing. She'd been Kara's best friends since Kara had moved to New Mexico, and she knew her curly haired friend too well. "You look like shit, hon. Like you're about to puke."

"I just need to go to the bathroom." Kara began to head in the direction of the balcony stairs.

"Hey nimrod." Kara turned to see Emmy smiling at her. "The bathrooms are the other way. Try a better lie next time." Kara grinned weakly, appreciating that Emmy didn't ask for an explanation, or insist on coming with her. She just needed to be alone. If she got to the balcony and he wasn't there, she didn't want anyone to witness what would surly be a psychological meltdown of relief. And if she climbed the stairs, and he was there, she definitely didn't want anyone around. Especially not Emmy.

For months, shifty eyed men in black suits had told her over and over again that a gas leak had caused the explosions, and that everything she'd seen had been a hallucination caused by the components in the gas. Fire and gas had caused the mass hysteria.

"What happened wasn't real." Squirming therapists had insisted. "You're afraid of a man who doesn't exist." Kara had given up trying to defend her story. What was worse, was that after a year of telling people she believed them, she began to doubt the accuracy of her own memory. Slowly, bit by bit, Kara began to wonder if it had really happened. Details that had been so clear before began to blur. Was she on 3rd Street or 4th? Was the car red or blue? Had she been pushed to the ground, or had she fallen?

Part of her always knew it was real, though. A small defiant part in the back of her head saw the scar on her left eyebrow and knew it wasn't from flying glass, but from her head slamming into the ground as the man in red shoved her out of harms way. That part of her remembered the ferocious look in the green man's eyes and cringed. You couldn't imagine eyes that fierce, even with the help of hallucinatory gasses. When all the other details faded, his face remained clear in her memory. Green eyes, strong jaw, dark hair, and horns. The devil incarnate.

He didn't look that way now though, she noted as she reached the top of the stairs and peeked around the corner. He wore a dark suit and a tie the same shade as his eyes. His hair was longer now and swept back away from his face. He had his elbows propped up languidly on the marble railing, his cane leaning next to his leg. The fear pooled in Kara's stomach and she thought she would keel over. He would kill her and he wouldn't even have to lift a finger. A knot tightened in her stomach and she forced herself to swallow and step further out onto the balcony. She grunted when her heel caught on the edge of the last stair and she pitched forward onto her hands and knees.

Suddenly he was there, his hand on her elbow, helping her to her feet. He felt real. Too real. Kara fought the urge to pull away from him. He said nothing until she was on her feet. "A girl in heels should know how to walk in them." Kara bit her lip, unable to speak. His voice was deep and ominous as he returned to his original position, reclining against the railing.

He glanced at her when she didn't answer, and a slight stirring of recognition tickled the back of his mind. There was something familiar about those electric blue eyes. "It is considered polite to thank someone after they've offered you assistance." Condescension dripping from his words.

Kara heard a small "Thank you," fall from her lips automatically. The man snorted and looked back down to the crowd below him.

It was him. He was real. Kara wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. She had so many questions, but she was so frightened.

"You seem ill." Kara jumped at his voice.

"I- I was hoping there would be no one up here." She said slowly.

"Yet you saw me before you ascended. Why did you continue?"

Kara shook her head. "I was hoping you weren't real." The man snickered.

"Ahh. I see." He turned to face her, leaning his back against the marble rail, his eyes roaming her body and lingering on her face. "You've grown up."

"You remember me?"

The man nodded. "I do now, just barely. The girl from New Mexico. It's been a long time."

For some reason, Kara felt herself breathe a sigh of relief. It was true. She wasn't crazy. After so many months of doubting it, of people telling her it wasn't real, here was proof. Of course it would be from him. "They told me you didn't exist. They said you were a hallucination." The man arched a midnight brow. She sounded slightly angry, as if she was accusing the man for daring to exist.

He chuckled darkly. "And you believed your government?"

Kara didn't answer, just stared down at her freckled hands.

"Don't be ashamed of that." His words startled her and she looked up. "Creatures greater than mortal have made that mistake."

"No one believed me."

"Typical. I imagine your people were trying to keep my existence hidden. I'm surprised they didn't kill you."

"Keep what hidden?"

The man laughed. "The fact that you are not alone in the universe."

"Are you here to kill me?"

"Why kill a witness that no one believes?"

"So why are you here?"

The man sneered at her. "I'm here to hear the doctor speak."

"No, you're not." The man's eyes snapped open and Kara clamped a hand over her mouth, horrified that she'd said the words aloud. The man took a threatening step towards her, and Kara stepped back. "I- I didn't mean-" She began, but he shot out a hand and gripped her forearm, dragging her towards him. He stared down into her terrified face, his expression thoughtful.

"You have heart," He commented, lifting her closer to him, forcing her to her tip toes. His breath smelled like cinnamon and ice. "Question me again, and I'll rip it out." Kara shuddered. A grin split his face, seeing the effect his threat had. He forced her over to the balcony railing and pointed down. "Which one is he?"

"W-who?" The man shook her.

"Don't play dumb. The doctor, girl. Where is he?"

Kara didn't know what the man wanted with the doctor, but she knew it couldn't be good. Desperately, she pointed to a man who had leered knowingly at her when she'd first entered the Gala, knowing full well that it wasn't the doctor. With a satisfied smirk, the man tossed Kara aside and made for the stair case.

"Wait!" Kara stared after him, and felt her stomach turn to jelly when he looked at her with that same look he'd worn a year ago. shivering, she forced out the words. "Who are you?"

"Watch and see." He turned away and continued down the stairs. "Soon, everyone will know."

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And that's it for chapter 1! Please review!


	2. Man Out of Time

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is super short but I just wanted to get a new chapter uploaded for you guys! FYI for uploading, I have to do the copy and past stuff, so sometimes words get left out and therefore there is a gap left. Please let me know if this happens so I can fix it ASAP. THANK YOU! enjoy! I will hopefully update another chapter tomorrow!

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Kara climbed to her feet unsteadily, her breath beginning to come in short, sharp gasps. She felt her lungs tightening and tried to force the panic down. Years seemed to pass in those few seconds, and the weight of all the lies she'd been told for the last twelve months weighed heavy on her shoulders. She fought to urge to sit down again. But her nightmares were real, and she'd just sicced him on someone, that guy- the guy! The realization was a red hot rock in her stomach. She'd sent the man after the guy from the door! She had to see what he was going to do. She had to witness whatever horror she'd sent after the blissfully unaware doorman.

She gripped the marble railing tightly as she peeked over. The man in green had reached the bottom of the stairs, and he was approaching the guy she'd pointed out with long, purposeful strides. Too her horror, she saw his clothing begin to shimmer and undulate. It glowed with a bright light for a few seconds before the suit and tie seemed to melt away and his walking cane dissolved into a wicked looking, silver bladed staff, leaving him in the black and green leather armor she'd seen him in before, complete with golden horned helmet. The people around him looked around in confusion and astonishment, their mouths open as if someone would spill a plausible explanation. Kara realized she was holding her breath.

NO! Her thoughts screamed. As the man drew closer to his target, Kara's mind churned frantically for some way to stop the macabre scene about to happen. She didn't know what would happen once the man reached his victim, but she knew it wouldn't be good. An idea struck her. It was a wild, mad plan, and it might not work, and on top of that, it could be dangerous. More dangerous than him? She thought. She had to try. She cupped her hands around her mouth and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"FIRE! THERE'S A FIRE! EVERYONE OUT OF THE BUILDING NOW!"

A hush fell over the crowd, and they all looked up at her. For a horrible second, she thought they wouldn't listen, the room was so silent. Kara looked to the man, and he had stopped, looking up at her with amusement. His mouth was twisted in a wry smile. "Cute." Was all he said, his low voice carrying through the quiet, heavy air with a tone that made chill bumps rise along Kara's spine. Suddenly, a voice shattered the silence.

"What are you waiting for?! Get out of here before the place explodes!" Kara looked down to see Emmy, frantically waving her arms as people around her began to rush to the exit. Emmy looked up at Kara, doubtful, but unquestioning as she continued to usher frightened people to the doors. Kara nodded in assurance before scanning the faces once more for the horned man, but her ears instantly picked up on the horrified cries coming from near the doors.

"Locked!" Someone shouted, "They're locked!"

Kara's face paled as she finally found the face she was looking for. His smile had straightened out into a grim, frustrated line. He held her eyes for a brief second before turning on his heel and slamming his staff into the legs of the doorman as he tried to rush past him to the doors.

That was the last erupted throughout the gala. People screamed and ran for the doors, but where hemmed in by the people who had already found them to be impassable. Kara careened down the stairs as fast as she could, whipping her head around trying to locate Emmy and a way out at the same time, all while trying to keep the horned man in the corner of her eye.

He was standing over the man he had crippled, but something was wrong. There was movement on the edges of the panicked crowd, but instead of the jerky, sporadic movements of the terrified people, this movement looked organized. Figures dressed in black emerged from the mass and began to move towards the horned man. Two of them reached down and hauled the squalling man to his feet. The horned man reached into his robes with smug complacency and pulled out a silvery metal device, which opened to reveal three spinning blades when he pressed a small button. The other man's eyes grew wide with terror, and he began to fight against the black clad figures holding him, but they remained resilient against his struggles, and what was worse, Kara noted, was that their faces showed no emotion whatsoever.

Another man in black stepped forward, and Kara felt her breath catch as the horned man handed over the device. She saw the device lowered towards the man's eye as he began to scream louder, but she turned away, her hand over her mouth.

"Kara!" She spun around at the sound of her name to see Emmy running towards her, but her progress was slow. She was trying to fight through a stream of people all moving away from the screams of pain in the center of the gala, and was moving as sluggishly as a salmon swimming upstream. Kara rushed to her, taking her friend by the shoulder and turning her around. "What the hell is going on?" Emmy panted.

"We- I don't know but we have to get out of here." The brunette tried to squeeze between the solid wall of people, trying to merge as best as she could.

"We can't, the doors are locked! And weird guys in black are blocking the windows- There's no way,"

"There HAS to be a way!" Kara's head snapped from corner to corner of the gala, finding only a single open doorway, the one's to the bathroom. "Emmy, there! Get to the bathroom, there's a window-" She was cut off by a stentorian bellow of rage, and she risked a glance over her shoulder to see the man rip the metal device, now stained red at the end, out of his assistants hand. It was flashing intermittently with a red light. He twisted his head around, and when he saw Kara, the fury in his eyes made her go pale.

"Emmy go, get outside!" Kara pushed the blonde in front of her, accelerating her friend's escape as they shoved through the people. They were almost to the door when Kara's head snapped back violently, and she was yanked off her feet.

"Kara!" Emmy tried to turn around and go back, but she was penned in by the crowd.

Kara was yanked viciously towards the center of the gala, the people parting like the red sea, desperate to stay out of the horned man's way. His fingers were twisted securely in her hair, and tears sprung to the corners of her eyes as she clawed at his hand, barely able to stumble backwards fast enough to avoid falling and being dragged across the slick marble tile.

"That," A low voice said in her ear, "Was not so cute. In fact, it was very, very stupid." He halted in the middle of the middle of the room, holding Kara out in front of him by her hair, as if he had just returned from a successful fishing trip, and she was the catch of the day. The men in black took position around them.

"Doctor Heinrich Schafer!" He called in a voice that almost sounded amused, as if the man he had called had just performed a pleasing trick. Though his voice seemed quiet, there was an edge of raw malice in it that carried through the gala. People froze where they stood, searching for the one who had spoken. Eventually, all eyes were on the man, and the room grew silent enough to hear a pen drop. But all Kara could hear was her rasping breath as she tried to pry the fingers out of her hair. There was really no sneaky way to do it, but she tried anyway, digging her nails into the soft spot between the man's thumb and pointer finger, hoping he'd let go, or at least grant her an opening to kick back at him. Suddenly, the bladed end of his staff was pressed against her neck, and she could feel the sharp point pressing lightly into the flesh over her jugular vein each time her heart beat.

"You do not want to play games with me," The voice said into her ear. "If you are wise, you will try not to breathe." The voice grew loud again. "Doctor Heinrich Schafer, if you do not wish this girl to die in your name, step forward now!" There were a few hushed muttered among the silent throng, but no one moved. "This is no jest!" He insisted. "I will execute one person in this room for every minute that I receive no answer." He jerked his head towards the closets group of people, and two of the men in black strode towards them. There was a muffled cry and a blonde woman was dragged forward, tears streaming down her face. Kara cringed when she saw her. She was wearing a form fitting dress that outlined clearly her rounded belly. She was very pregnant. "First, her-" He gave Kara a shake to accentuate his point, "Then her." A nod a the sobbing woman. "Again, if you do not want their blood on your hands, Doctor, and the blood of the many who will die for you should you disobey me, step forward NOW!"

Again there was absolute stillness in the gala.

"Very well." Kara felt the man's muscles tense, and her eyes flew open, realizing what was about to happen. She tried to squirm away as the tip of the blade sliced into her neck.

"WAIT-" The man stopped, pulling his staff away from Kara's throat. His mouth twisted into a satisfied grin as a portly man with white hair and a slight limo walked forward. Doctor Schafer stood shaking in front of the man, his arms outstretched and a look of defeat on his face. "I- I am the doctor you speak of." He said in heavily accented english. "Please, let the young ladies go."

"Men." The man snapped. Instantly the two assistants holding the pregnant woman dropped her arms, and she scurried away, a look of horrified astonishment on her face. All of the men in black went to stand around Doctor Schafer, preventing him from backing away or trying to run. "Men," The man repeated. "Escort Doctor Schafer to my men down below in the labs." He looked into the doctor's face, and seemed to be almost apologetic when he said, "I had wished to avoid taking you down to them, but I was…Mislead."

Kara felt the hand tighten in her hair as the doctor was lead away. She hadn't truly believed that the man would let her go on her dandy way as he had with the pregnant woman, but the thought that he was not yet through with her, and the realization that she might not survive the next few minutes made a cold sweat break out along her back. He was no doubt going to kill her, but what would she have to endure first?

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When Kara was eight years old, having just moved to the US, her father had been struck an killed by a drunk driver. When her crying grandmother had burst into her room, Kara hadn't understood what was going on, and even after her grandmother explained it, Kara was so far in denial that she'd easily fooled herself for days into thinking that at any moment, her father would come through the door like he'd never been gone.

He didn't , of course. And when she ran excitedly to answer the knock on the door a week later, it was not her father standing there, but her aunt. Her aunt who only ever visited if there was a real emergency or tragedy. Her aunt who missed birthdays and Christmas's and argued constantly with her brother during her rare appearances at the home. Her aunt who stood on the porch with the glimmer of tears behind her eyes that she would not shed, and convinced Kara that her father was dead. Kara hadn't screamed or cried. She just stood, shocked, as her ears roared and the bottom fell out of her carefully constructed world.

She felt like that now, unable to process anything other than her own lurching stomach and the pin pricks of pain on her scalp. She felt the man let go of her, his hand pulling away from her and taking more than a few hairs with it. By that point, his fingers in her hair had been the only thing keeping her on her feet, and without them she dropped to her knees, staring unseeingly at the floor. She heard the screaming of sirens and people pounding on the glass doors of the gala. Red and blue lights danced across the walls and bathed the interior of the gala with intermittent flashes of lights. It seemed a cruel irony, Kara thought, that display of help being so close, but on the wrong side of the doors. I could really use that joint now… She began to grin, then remembered the seriousness of her situation and felt sick.

"Kneel before me!" his voice boomed across the quiet room, echoing ominously. Nobody moved, just watched the red and blue lights with tense expectancy, as if the lights alone could deliver them from this nightmare they'd been dropped into. There was a sharp blue blast, and the crystal chandelier that hung over the center of the gala shattered, spraying bits of glass across the mass of bodies. Kara put her head down, hearing the sharp exclamations of pain as some unlucky people were struck by small shards of flying glass. The man smirked, now positive that he had everyone's attention.

"I said," His voice was dangerously patient. "KNEEL!"

Slowly, with a few belated sobs and cries of despair, the pack of people began to kneel one by one. The man took another few steps forward, holding his arms out. In a way, Kara was reminded of a vampire bat, the way his robes fell around him.

"Is this not simpler?" He asked, a hint of satisfaction in his voice as he walked unhurriedly through the throng of people kneeling at his feet. "Is this not your natural state? Its the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation." His face was almost angelic, accepting, and for a moment, Kara almost believed him. "The bright lure of freedom diminishes you're life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."

There was dead silence for a full moment while his words sunk in, and Kara knew that her head wasn't the only one his hypnotic voice resonated in. Then there was an abrupt snort that immediately turned into a sharp peel of laughter.

The man's eyes narrowed as he scanned the crush of confused faces. "Who laughs?" He barked. "Who finds this amusing."

Kara's blood had turned to ice the instant she'd heard the derisive scoff. It was a sound she knew all too well. In the doorway of the bathroom, a cloth wrapped around her right fist, a chubby blonde stood, red splotches of blood seeping through the cloth and dripping to the floor. Holy shit, oh no.. Kara was astounded, and a surge of terror shot through her at the sight of her friend.

"Are you crazy?" Emmy spat. The man seemed aghast that anyone would defy him so blatantly.

"What? What did you say?"

"I said-" Emmy repeated with exaggerated patience, "Are. You. Crazy?" She gestured to the people around her. "This isn't humanity. This is fear."

"Fear is humanity."

"Fear is human. But it isn't humanity."

The man furrowed his midnight brows in a patronizing scowl. "That does not make sense."

Emmy shook her head. "No, you know what doesn't make sense? That Fifty Shades of Creepy Bible Camp Brochures you just recited. The bright something of freedom diminishes blah blah of whatever. You want to know how much of that stuck? Like none. Zero percent." Emmy shrugged her shoulders and help up her thump and pointer finger pressed together, so show her point. "Sure, these people look scared, but 20 bucks says all of them are running your thesis statement from hell through their heads, trying to figure out what the shit you're talking about."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" The man leveled his spear at Emmy. "I am sick of your senseless blabber! Look to your youth, humans, see where disobedience will bring you." The end of the spear began to glow blue, and Kara didn't have time to think. She launched herself to her feet threw herself at the man. She hit him full force with her body right before a ball of blue light exploded from the end of the staff. The man stumbled and his aim went high, the shot slamming into the ceiling with a deafening explosion.

The man tossed Kara off of him with a snarl of rage. The breath slammed out of her as she hit the stone floor, and she rolled over onto her stomach, her lungs burning as she gasped for breath. All she could think about was getting air back into her chest, but there was a high pitched whining sound, and some internal impulse told her to move. She rolled to her left and a split second later, the tiles where she'd just been exploded into rubble with a burst of blue.

People were screaming now, and running about, but soon the cries of hysteria turned to shouts of relief. Both Kara and the man sensed the change and looked towards the source of the frantic excitement. Standing in the bathroom doorway was a man in a suit of red, white, and blue.

"You know," He began, and Kara felt calmer just at the sound of his voice. It was deep and melodic, but held an edge of authority. It reminded her of her father's voice. "The last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing."

The horned man smiled condescendingly. "The soldier. A man out of time."

That was who he was, Kara realized. She thought he looked familiar. Captain America! The man from TV! And the card games!

"I'm not the one who's out of time." Captain America said coolly, a look of grim determination on his face. "In fact-"

"Ah ah ah-" The man swung his staff around to point at Kara, who had pulled herself into a standing position, though she swayed a bit. The end of the weapon did not waver from it's position at a point right between Kara's eyes. Captain America's eyes flicked to Kara briefly, the only indication of his doubt. The horned man smirked.

"Take just one more step, Captain." The head of the weapon started to glow an electric blue, and once again Kara heard the high whining sound begin to emanate from it. The man met Kara's eyes, and the rage burned behind them, though the venomous smile stayed plastered on his face. "Just one more step. I insist."


	3. Almost Too Late

My sister spilled vodka on my laptop keyboard so the shift key doesn't work very well anymore… also I have to copy and paste the chapters in so you know how that gets. -_- anyway enjoy Chapter 3! Please review!

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"Lower the weapon, Loki. Let the girl go." Captain America's voice was even and commanding, his shoulders back, his doubt invisible to all but Loki, who's smile spread further across his face.

"I tried that." Loki glanced at Kara, who was frozen in place, the glowing blue end of the staff pointed directly between her eyes. "Seems she can't stay away-" he trailed off when a small red dot appeared on his hand. More red dots began to appear, swarming over him like ants. Loki looked up to see a red haired woman flanked by four people in black on both sides of her, all pointing large guns at him and spread along the balcony in an even line.

Kara didn't dare move to see the spectacle behind her, but there was something familiar about the voice she heard echoing around the silent room.

"Loki, drop the weapon and stand down."

"And if I say no?" Loki challenged, the glow of his staff getting bigger and brighter until Kara could actually feel the heat coming off of it. She closed her eyes and focused on breathing.

Whatever you do, her aunt had told her, don't let your adversary see you cry. That's what they want. It's power play. And no matter what, don't let let your last moments on this earth be spent in tears. Kara fought the burning in her eyes, and tried to force down the lump in her throat. If for no other reason than to honor her aunt, she wouldn't cry.

"Do you really think you can fire your weapon before one of us shoots?" The commanding woman's voice continued.

Like greased lightening, Loki swung his staff up and shot a ball of blue light at the balcony. The people threw themselves sideways to be clear of the blast, and Kara took the opportunity to fall into a crouch, narrowly avoiding the second shot that Loki fired, this time aimed at her face. Before he could aim again, Captain America hurled his shield at the man, hitting him in the chest and causing his third shot to go wide, the blue fire hitting the tile floor and sending up a shower of fragments that sliced into Kara's arms and legs. She realized dimly that someone had managed to get the big glass doors open and people were flowing out onto the streets.

Captain America threw his shield again, but Loki swatted it away, bringing his staff down on the Captain's arm so he couldn't catch his weapon as it returned. The uniformed man grunted, going to his knees for a split second, his shield skidding to a stop barely a foot from Kara's crouched form, the metal glowing red hot from the speed of which it had flown through the air.

His momentary weakness was enough for Loki. He slammed his foot into the Captain's shoulder, forcing the man to the ground. Loki stood over him, a foot on the man's wrist to keep him from struggling away. He pointed his scepter at Captain America's helmet. "Kneel."

Kara watched as the tip of the scepter began to light up, realizing with dread that the man was completely pinned, especially without his weapon. His weapon! Kara reached for the shield and winced, pulling her hand away quickly. The metal was still burning hot, the heat coming of it it in waves that the girl could almost see. She looked at Captain America- beads of sweat had begun to form on his face from the heat of the blue fire. Cringing at the thought of what she was about to do, Kara stood and reached for the shield again.

Natasha Romanoff shot to her feet, scooping up the nearest sniper rifle and bringing the scope to her eye in one swift movement. "Damn," she hissed. The shot was too risky. She could hit Loki, but if he moved at all, the bullet could easily sail past him to bury itself in the Captain. But if she waited too long- movement caught her eye and she looked down. The girl that Loki had been holding at staff point was reaching the Captains shield. The spy almost cried out a warning to the girl, that shield would be burning hot- but caught herself in time. The girl would have to know, with her hand almost already around the silver rim, and any attempt that the spy could make to warn her would not only come too late, but also draw Loki's attention to whatever the girl was about to do. Peering through her scope, Natasha watched the girl clamp her hands determinedly around the shields edge and saw the strain in her face as she struggled to lift it into the air. That face- Natasha removed her eye from the scope and shook her head before looking through again. There was something all too familiar about that mess of brown hair. Realization struck her, and Natasha gritted her teeth. Oh no, she thought in horror…Oh no no no no…

Red hot pain soared through Kara's hand and up her arm when she touched the shield, and she tasted blood in her mouth as she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Crying she was, though. Tears of pain rolled down her face. What am I doing? Her thoughts screamed as she lifted the weapon. I'm no hero- I'm going to die for this! But she'd already begun to swing the weapon, as much to get it out of her hand as to attack. She aimed for Loki's head, but her arm strength left much to be desired, and she knew in an instant that she'd never be able to keep the heavy metal shield that high. Instead, she let the disc drop and put all of her strength into slamming it into Loki's knees. It didn't really have the desired affect, and Kara wondered briefly what exactly she'd expected. She didn't have super strength like the Captain, and she was sore, so the blow wasn't nearly as powerful as she could have managed at full capacity, but still, the raven haired man stumbled, losing his balance and giving Captain America exactly what he needed to wriggle free, grabbing his shield as he sprang to his feet.

Kara's main concern wasn't the aftermath of her deed, it was the screaming pain in her hands. She had just enough time to bring them to her face, the fingers seemingly stuck in their semi curled position, and spread them, the flesh bright red and stiff, cracking and bleeding as they unfurled, before she was knocked to the ground. There was an unbearable weight on her abdomen, and she looked up, the pain of her lower back and hips grinding into the cold marble causing her to instinctively try to curl up into a ball, but all she could manage was to arch her chest and shoulders upwards, into the waiting hands of Loki, who slammed her back down into floor with enough force that she felt her head hit the stone with a crack. She was barely able to see the man through the bright lights the flashed through her vision.

He was straddling her, his knees on either side, his back hunched so his face was barely above hers when he spoke.

"I am so sick.." He spat, specks of spittle hitting Kara's face. "Of your tedious heroic attempts." Though the words seemed calm, his face was a mask of fury. He wrapped his cold hands around Kara's neck, straightening up and leaning on his arms to increase the force on her airway. Kara's already hazy vision began to blur around the edges as she clawed at his hands. There was no triumphant smirk on the man's face as she began to spiral into darkness, just anger.

Natasha cursed in frustration. She still couldn't take the shot for fear of hitting the girl underneath Loki. She scanned her eyes around the room frantically. "Captain!" She shouted, but he was preoccupied. At least twenty men dressed all in black were descending on him, and he was fighting them off as best he could. One wrapped his arms around the Captain's neck, but the avenger grabbed the man's elbow and swung him around, throwing him to two more of his assailants. They went down in a pile.

"Captain!" Natasha tried again. Captain America looked up, wiping his brow. "The girl! Get the girl he's killing her!"

Captain America cursed at his inattentiveness. Natasha was right. He looked to where Loki was kneeling, up until then he thought the Asgardian was nursing wounds, or had somehow been incapacitated, but now he saw what Natasha was yelling about. Loki wasn't trying to heal himself. He was sitting on the girls hips and using his body weight to strangle her, the Captain could see her pale legs and black heels protruding from beneath Loki's cloak. She wasn't moving.

Natasha watched in horror as the girl's kicking and struggling got weaker and weaker, and as Captain America took a few sprinting steps towards them but was once more grabbed by an assailant. He wasn't going to make it in time. She leveled her rifle again, her face grim. "Screw it," her finger tightened on the trigger. Though she was worried about accidentally hitting her, the girl was going to die anyway if she didn't do something.

Loki felt the girl's heartbeat beneath her skin growing slower, and in turn, her struggling grew weaker, her hands becoming less aggressive in their assault on his wrists as she lost the energy to fight. Even as her neck extended and her mouth fell open in one last pathetic attempt to breathe, she kept her eyes open, her frosty blue orbs staring straight into his own.

Random thoughts fired through Kara's brain as she lost her ability to live. His eyes are the same color as mine… Why does that woman's voice sound so familiar- There was a red and gold flash, and suddenly the weight on her chest was gone, and air flowed into her lungs and it burned. "Ahh-" It was almost a scream, but it was cut off by cough that wracked her body. She rolled onto her side, coughing and crying. Breathing had never hurt this badly before, she reached for her throat, staining her neck red with the blood from her hands as she tried to massage the pain out, but putting any amount of pressure on her flash was another pain in itself. She could do nothing but lay on her bruised ribs and try to breathe through the fire in her chest.

Loki slid across the floor and hit the far wall hard enough to leave a dent. Ironman stalked over to him, his suit smoking from his decent. He looked up to the balcony to see Natasha, a look of relief clear on her strained face. "Agent Romanoff!" He called with a cheeky wave. "Did you miss me?" He looked back down at Loki, who was beginning to climb to his feet. Every weapon in Ironman's suit engaged, aiming straight for the Asgardian. "Make your move, reindeer games."

Loki wiped a hand across his dusty mouth before lifting both hands into the air in surrender, a slight smile on his lips.

"Good move," Ironman huffed in satisfaction as he moved cautiously to place the reinforced cuffs on Loki's wrists. He noticed that the dark haired man was looking at something happening over his shoulder, and he looked as well.

Captain America was crouched by the crumpled form of a girl in a black dress. Ironman pushed Loki on the shoulder, moving him towards the two. The Captain looked up as they approached.

"Captain."

" . You have impressive timing, as usual."

Ironman looked at the girl on the ground. A bouquet of blue and purple bruises already blooming around her neck. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was shaky. She appeared to be in shock. "I was almost too late."

"I would have been…" The Captain looked back down at the girl as Natasha approached at jog.

"Is she-"

"She's alive." Ironman confirmed as the redhead knelt next to her and brushed a few strands of curly brown hair out of her face.

"Thank god. Steve- pick her up she's coming with us."

Captain America slid an arm under the girl's legs and chest, and the girl groaned in pain as she was lifted, her eyes fluttering open for a second before she lost consciousness. "Wouldn't it be better to take her to an ambulance?" He asked, "She's a German citizen isn't she?"

"Steve's right," Ironman shrugged, noticing that Loki was smirking. "We can't just go around stealing German kids."

Natasha shook her head. "She's not German."

"How do you know? Who is she?"

"Her name is Karaline. She's my niece."

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	4. Goddamn Timing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not uploading sooner! I've been in Australia with limited internet.... Please enjoy! Thank you all for the Kudos!

Natasha Romanoff stared out the window of the QuinJet, watching the sky. It was dark, with black clouds boiling around them as they flew. Thunder boomed, sounding like it was right over head, but there was no rain. Natasha wondered where it was coming from. A radio on her hip crackled to life, and she unclipped it.

“Has he said anything?” It was Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Natasha let go of the button and looked back to where Loki was, chained to his seat near the door of the QuinJet. He was silent. When he saw her looking, he smiled, quirking an eyebrow and nodding towards Kara, who was laying on the floor on a pile of coats that Steve, Natasha, and Tony, now out of his Ironman suit, had provided. “I enjoyed your niece. She had spunk.” Natasha glowered at him.

“She’s not dead yet.” She snapped back. “When she wakes up we’ll get everything you told her.”

“What makes you think I told her anything? She was merely a convenient hostage.” Loki’s smile grew on one side. “And what makes you think she’ll wake up?”

Natasha took an angry step towards him, but Tony, who had been leaning against the wall next to Steve, grabbed her arm. “Don’t let him make you angry. It’s what he wants.” Natasha scowled and returned to her seat next to the pilot. 

“He hasn’t said a word.” She barked back into the radio. 

“Just get him here. We’re low on time. Please tell me you have Stark and Rogers on board.”

“Copy that.” She paused for a moment. “Sir, we have one more passenger on board as well. Picked up in Stuttgart. She was Loki’s hostage for an unknown period of time, and she might know something about his plans.”

The reply from the radio was instantaneous. “Might? She’s not talking?”

“She’s unconscious at the moment.”

“Who is she? Did she have any identification on her?”

Natasha sighed. “Sir, it’s Kara.”

“Kara?”

“Karaline. Stockholm. Alexei’s daughter.” 

There was silence on the other end of the line for a while, and Tony couldn’t help but notice that Loki had perked up at this last statement, and was gazing at the girl with a look of satisfaction and curiosity. 

Finally Fury spoke. “Is she alright?”

“She’s stable, sir. Nothing serious as far as we could tell.”  
“Very good. Hurry back.” 

Natasha hung the radio back on her hip and continued to gaze out the window, listening to Steve and Tony’s hushed conversation. 

“I don’t like it.” Steve shook his blond head. Tony glanced at him. 

“What? Rock of ages giving up so easily?”

Steve nodded. “It’s never been that easy. Guy packs a wallop.” His last words were swallowed by a roar of thunder, right above the QuinJet. 

“What the Hell?” Tony craned his neck to look out the windshield. “It’s not raining, so where is this all coming from?” There was a groan, then a cough from the corner, and everyone looked over to Kara, who was struggling to sit up. Steve rushed to her, followed closely by Natasha. Tony hung back, watching Loki’s face. There was no anger, no frustration that he’d failed to kill the girl, or worry that she might expose some part of his plan. He somehow seemed, well, pleased. But that couldn't possibly be right. It was an expression that Tony could only describe as one of plotting. He was planning something. It was that look that convinced Tony that Kara knew nothing of Loki’s current scheme. 

Natasha lifted Kara into a sitting position, and the girl hissed through her teeth at her sore muscles and bones. “Hey, take it easy.” Natasha scolded softly. Kara looked over at her. 

“Tasha? What are you doing here?” She looked around, taking in her surroundings. “Where am I?”

“Why were you in Stuttgart?” Natasha asked, ignoring the questions. 

Kara shook her head, trying to put her thoughts in order. “I won a science project- with my friend Emmy, oh my god! Emmy!” 

Steve put a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, she was the first one out.” This seemed to calm Kara a bit, but she still looked stricken. 

“Tasha I don’t understand- When did you get here?” The questions started to bubble up inside her, and suddenly Kara felt angry. Loki- that was the man’s name, he was real! He had attacked her, attacked hundreds of people! “I thought you told me he didn’t exist!”

Suddenly, a burst of white lightning hit the QuinJet. Loki ground his teeth. 

“What’s the matter? Afraid of a little lightning?” Tony mocked. Loki didn’t look at him, just stared intently out the window. 

“I’m not overly fond of what follows.”

Before anyone could ask what Loki’s cryptic words meant, the door to the QuinJet was forced open and a tall, muscular blond man with a red cape strode in, wrapped a large hand around Loki’s neck, and jumped back out into the dark clouds.

Kara looked from the open door to her aunt wildly. “Can someone please tell me what in the world is going on?”

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“So. S.H.I.E.L.D, huh?” 

Natasha nodded. Tony and Steve had followed Loki and his second captor out of the open door, but the redhead had opted to sit this one out, knowing that they would be back soon, Thor in tow.

“I don’t understand, Babushka told me you were a photographer- an important one. That you photographed war scenes in other countries that other countries don't want us to see…” Kara’s voice was raspy, and her throat seemed swollen. Hell, for all she knew, it was. She touched it gingerly, then pulled her hand away. Her head had begun to pound as well, from confusion as much as exhaustion. 

Natasha nodded. “And as far as she knows, I am. It’s easier to keep people safe if they don’t know the truth.” Kara scowled at her.

“Really? You don’t think it would have been better if, I don’t know, I hadn’t been lied to about Loki? And maybe knew to avoid him, or alert the authorities?” 

A flicker of guilt crossed Natasha’s face, though a blink would have missed it. “Kara, when you saw Loki- did he say anything to you about what he wanted?” 

Kara shook her head, then stopped, “He said that soon everyone would know who he was.” She glanced worriedly at her aunt, who frowned. “Does that mean anything?”

“Not really. He’s power obsessed, but we already knew that.”

“From when he came to Earth before?” It was almost a snap. 

Natasha sighed, sitting down in the chair across the QuinJet from Kara, perching her elbows on her knees and leaning forward. “Okay, okay? I get it. You’re upset, understandably. You’re confused. Scared-“

“I’m not scared!”

“Scared,” Natasha repeated, “You’ve been through a lot. Loki tried to kill you.”

“Twice.” 

Natasha closed her eyes for a few seconds, taking a deep breath. “Twice.” She held up her hands in surrender. “You deserve honesty.”

Kara stared intently at her aunt. She had no reason to believe that Natasha was lying to her, but at the same time, she didn’t really know her all that well. And she’d clearly been lying to her for most of, if not all, of her life. She had no reason to believe the woman was telling the truth either. “How do I know you’re not going to just feed me a bunch of bullshit?” 

“You’re just going to have to trust me.”

“I don’t.”

“Good. That proves you're smart. But you just have to believe that I’ll tell you the truth.” This kid was just like her dad. The thought forced its way into Natasha’s brain before she could stop it, but it was true. As much as she’d loved her brother, she and he had not gotten along very well. He was just not a trusting man, even during his days working for S.H.I.E.L.D. He never trusted the organization completely. Or Natasha for that matter. And for good reason. Back in Russia, in their old life, trusting anyone was practically a death sentence. Clearly, though Kara had been young when she’d moved with her family to America, she’d spent just enough time there to understand that. Natasha was not going to have an easy time getting this girl to believe a single word she said. 

“Look, Kara, when we get back to headquarters, I can have Director Fury verify what I say. Will that be enough for you?”

Kara thought for a moment before answering, looking down into her blistered palms. “I guess- it would definitely be a start.” She conceded. She met her aunt’s blue eyes again. “I can ask anything?”

“Within reason. I can’t give you any information on unrelated confidential cases. Understand?”

The girl nodded, trying to formulate her first question in her head. “Loki and- who was the other man? I recognize him from New Mexico. He saved my life. Who are they? Where are they from? And what do they want?”

“The big man, his name is Thor. They are both other worldly beings from another planet, gods of a sort, from a place called Asgard. Thor wants Earth and Asgard to live in peace, as far as we know. We have reason to believe him. He’s involved with a human researcher who was stationed in New Mexico two years ago. Loki is his brother. We don’t know what he wants. Up until a few days ago, we thought he was dead.”

Kara had been listening to all of this with a look of shock, her mouth open. She closed it, and then immediately opened it again to ask, “What does Loki have that you want? And why is it so important?”

“He’s stolen an energy force called the Tesseract. We don't know why or what he needs it for, all we know is that we have to get it back before he uses it.” Natasha looked at her watch, briefly wondering where the others were, but chose not to worry. They would make it back. They always did. She silently hoped that Steve and Tony had not gotten distracted trying to kill each other. “Do you have any more questions?”

“Does Uncle Clint know you’re an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D?” the question just sort of burst out of Kara, she had to know. How many people had looked her in the eyes as she was growing up and lied to her? “Did dad?”  
Natasha opened her mouth to lie, then paused. The kid needed to know at this point. It was her right. “Yes, Kara. Clint knows. And so did your dad. Clint is an agent too, and your dad was one of the best agents there were.”

Kara’s mouth tightened into a thin line as she struggled not to feel as hurt as she did. “So everyone knew but me?” she finally asked.

“Everyone knew that the best way to protect you was to keep you from it. We all made a choice, Kara, and it wasn’t an easy one to make, believe me.”

“You keep saying that.” The words weren’t angry, just hurt, and a bit disgusted. “You keep saying it was the only way to protect me. What does that even mean? What were you protecting me from?”

“No one wanted to hurt you, Kara-“ Natasha carefully avoided the question. “We were going to tell you when you were old enough to understand, but when your dad died- Clint and I thought it would be best to just let you live a normal life. Please understand-“

The brunette just stared at her hands. “I do understand. But I still feel betrayed. I can’t just accept that I’ve been lied to my whole life, and just get over it.” She really was just like her dad. Of course she was angry, Natasha could tell that she was, the way her face was flushed and her mouth was tight. But she didn’t explode. Just sat, processing, figuring out the next course of action. Suddenly she looked up. “How do you make people forget what they saw? There’s no way you can send every single witness to the same therapists, or to psych wards, or send agents to all of them to convince them it wasn’t real. There would be too many cases, and too many people who wouldn't believe.”

And that would be something Kara thought about, Natasha groaned inwardly. This was always where it got tricky with people, depending on where their moral compass was fine tuned and where it wasn’t. “Everyone who was a direct witness to an event that we can’t release to the public is rounded up. Our researchers have found a way to suppress a certain enzyme in the brain, it can act like a stroke in some people, or sometimes like a concussion of sorts. I don’t know the science behind it, but it can destroy certain memories. Just make them go black. Anyone trying to remember details would be unable to do so. It just goes away.”

“And it works? Every time?” Kara was aghast. 

“Of course there are those few who fight the procedure. They keep trying to remember, and it makes them, well, go crazy, for lack of a better word. They’re put into psychiatric care. It’s the best we can do to protect the public.”

“Protect the public?!” Kara scoffed, “You mess with people’s minds! With their memories! How can you call that protection?”

“Do you have any idea what would happen if the knowledge of another world coexisting with this one was released to the general populace? There would be chaos, riots, organized governments would fail all over the world, and people would point fingers and blame the ones who kept it from them. S.H.I.E.L.D would be destroyed, and then we wouldn't be able to protect them from the real threats, like Loki. Hundreds of thousands of people would die, Kara,” Natasha took the girls shoulders in her hands and shook her lightly. “So yes, we change people’s memories, and sometimes things go wrong. But it’s a million times better than the alternative. Do you get that?” Kara met her eyes.

“And I’m just supposed to be grateful that you didn’t let your researchers mess with mine, right? What about the people who were at the Gala?”

Natasha let go of the curly haired girl and stood, “I’m sure they’re being rounded up as we speak.”

“You CAN’T! I have friends there! What about Emmy?! She’ll-“

“She’ll still be your friend, even if she doesn’t remember what happened.”

“How can you do that? She helped you! It’s only thanks to her that Captain America was able to get into the gala at all!”

“You can’t afford to think about it like that. She was brave, yes. She made a good call, yes. Believe me, I’m sure she’s got good things in her future. But this is the way it has to be for now.”

Kara threw her hands into the air in frustration. “So what now? You take me back to your HQ and then what? More psychoanalysts? Therapists? More agents to convince me it wasn’t real? Or will you go straight to deleting my memories this time?”

This time it was Natasha’s turn to look surprised. “Why would I- Do you really think I would be telling you all this if I was planning to make you forget it?” She asked incredulously. 

“Forgive me if I seem a little suspicious.” Kara rolled her eyes. “But I really don’t know what to think at this point.” 

Natasha held up a hand, scowling. “Now is not the time to be that way. Stop looking for a way to justify your anger. It’s justified, okay? One hundred percent. So listen to me, and believe me when I say I’m sorry. That’s all you can do, alright? I’m sorry, now let it go.” Kara took a breath to protest, but Natasha stopped her again. “No, Kara. Let it go. The first thing any agent learns is that we always have bigger issues than your feelings. More important things to deal with, and we have to be ready to deal with them no matter how we feel.”

This was all so insane. Kara’s head was spinning with frustration and anger, and she was in pain. Her entire body had begun to throb, and she shifted uncomfortably. “Great…” She muttered, looking up at the redhead. “So now what.”

“Now we get back to HQ. We’ll get you to a doctor, and then Director Fury will tell us how to proceed from there. Odds are you’ll be sent back to New Mexico to Babushka.”

“So after everything I’ll just be sent back to act like nothing happened? Wait out whatever happens like a kid? Like-“

“It’s not my call.”

Just then the QuinJet listed to one side dangerously. Natasha had to grab the back of the pilot’s chair to keep from being thrown against the far side. Kara wasn’t fast enough, and Natasha grabbed her shoulder as the girl was jolted out of her seat. The door of the QuinJet opened with a roar of wind, and four people hustled inside. 

Loki was tossed carelessly into the seat beside Kara, his back hitting the wall with a force that sent vibrations through the entire jet. Kara lifted her feet to avoid having one of her heels caught in the sliding chains as Steve secured the ends to the floor and ceiling. The other three newcomers milled around briefly to find empty seats or a suitable place to lean against the wall. Kara watched the big man, Thor, lower himself into a seat that was much too small for him. He didn’t seem to notice, as he was too busy glaring daggers at his brother. 

Steve put his shield down by his ankles and turned to Natasha. “Thor will help us retrieve the Tesseract, with the exception that when all of this is over, he will take both it and Loki back to Asgard.”

Natasha glanced briefly at Thor, and grimaced. “I don’t know what Fury will think about those conditions.” She said softly, her words meant for Steve’s ears alone. 

“I do not care what your leader Fury thinks!” Thor boomed, evidently overhearing the two. He stood, and Tony lifted a hand.

“Whoa whoa, sit down Shakespeare, no need to get your belt in a bunch-“

Thor glowered at the man. “My belt is made of the finest Asgardian metal. You could not put it into a bunch if you wished to.”

In her peripheral vision, Kara saw Loki roll his eyes as the four standing occupants began to bicker among themselves. Loki saw her looking and Kara averted her gaze quickly. 

“What lies did they fill your head with this time?” He asked quietly, a knowing smile on his lips. “And what were you foolish enough to believe?”

Kara clenched her teeth and looked at him, staring him in his own electric blue eyes. “I believed them when they said you were a no good criminal.”

“Every single person here is a ‘no good criminal’.” Loki sneered. “Not one soul here is innocent. Untainted by impurity or sin. All of them have blood on their hands.” He tilted his head and looked at Kara out of the corner of his eye. “Even you.” Kara flinched back slightly. No. There was no way, he had to be bluffing. There was absolutely no way he could know anything.

“Whatever your plan is, you won’t succeed.” Kara bit back to change the subject, once more staring straight in front of her.

Loki hummed in amusement. “So you believe they can stop me? S.H.I.E.L.D, and your precious aunt? You are all just mortals. Nothing more.”

“And you’re a washed up god in handcuffs.” Kara refused to acknowledge him with a look. “I guess that makes us pretty even.”

“You find it quite easy to be bold when I’m in chains. Would you be so brave if you were not surrounded by the ‘Heroes’ of your world?” The Asgardian challenged.

Kara snorted. “I approached you, not the other way around. I think the fact that I’m here is answer enough.”

The raven haired man snickered. “That does little but prove your foolishness, not your bravery.” He saw the girl look at him out of the corner of his eye, and met her gaze lazily. “In a single second,” He continued, “I could kill you. Or prolong your death so that you know exactly what your insides look like before you died. Better yet, I could make you kill yourself. Make you do humiliating things, mutilate yourself, and turn everything you fear against you. I could do this without batting an eye or a care in the world.” He saw the girl grinding her teeth, swallowing her disgust. “To approach someone like me out of mere curiosity is not brave. It is stupid.” His knowing grin was gone now, replaced by a look of such intense hostility that it took every shred of Kara’s willpower not to break eye contact and draw herself back into a cower. 

She tasted blood in her mouth as she bit her cheek to keep from showing the horror on her face. It took all the determination that she had left in her exhausted body to speak. “I’m not afraid of you.” It was a lie, but she did not let the poison in his gaze melt her resolve. 

“That is unwise.” Loki said. He lunged at the girl, throwing his weight against the chains. Kara leapt back across the seats, toppling to the floor in her haste to get away from him. Fear broke through her mask of indifference to show undeniably on her face as Loki’s bindings stopped him abruptly. “It is also, evidently, a lie.” A pleased smile spread across his pale face, and Kara cursed inwardly, realizing she had just failed some sort of test. 

The QuinJet’s other occupants, who had seemingly forgotten the pair until then, jumped into action the second Loki had half heartedly tried to accost the girl. Thor slammed his brother against the wall by the shoulders while Tony hurriedly tightened the chains, giving Loki even less ability to move. Steve helped Kara off the floor, tugging the hem of her black dress back down to her knees so she wasn’t indecent. 

“Don’t you dare speak another word to her.” Natasha ordered, checking the security of the cuffs roughly. “What the hell were you thinking?” She snapped, this time at Kara, who looked down.

“Cool it, Red.” Tony said in his sarcastic drawl. “Just cause you’re Black Widow doesn’t mean you have to chew everyone’s head off.” Natasha gave him a black look. 

“Look, everyone’s tense right now.” Steve intervened. “Let’s just get back to HQ, okay? Kara needs to go to the infirmary-“ He gave Kara a reassuring pat on the shoulder, and the brunette winced. Steve did too, raising his right arm and examining it. There was a rip in the fabric of his uniform, and the skin underneath was black and blue. “-and I probably should too, at least for a minute.” Thor raised an eyebrow at this, but said nothing. 

“Aww, did Pax Vobis get a boo boo?”

Steve glowered at Tony. “Does all logic fall onto deaf ears with you?”

“It’s the responsibility of the people to question authority.” Tony shrugged. “Do you need to re-read the constitution? I thought you’d have it memorized after, what, ninety-two years?”

“That’s not in the constitution.”

“I’m paraphrasing,” Tony waved a hand airily. “Never meant as much to me-“

“Clearly.”

“Landing in ten…” Everyone looked to the QuinJet’s captain, who had been completely forgotten. “Ten minutes.” He clarified. “We’ll be entering the Helicarrier airspace soon.”

“Finally.” Natasha breathed. “Can we all try not to kill each other for ten minutes?” She slid back into her seat next to the pilot and put on her headset. “This is Agent Romanoff,” She said into the crackling mic, “We’ll be landing in ten minutes starboard. Tell Director Fury to have a platoon ready to escort the prisoner.”

“Copy that.” 

A hard knot formed in the pit of Kara’s stomach. The gravity of her situation seemed to dawn all at once, and she felt her knees start to shake. She found herself wishing that she had her handbag, and wondered why she was missing something so insubstantial at this time. Oh. Her bag had a half joint stuffed into an empty lipstick tube. She looked up and saw Tony staring at her quizzically. He nodded when he saw her looking and moseyed over, taking the seat next to her.

“You okay, kid?” he asked in a conversational tone. Kara shrugged, letting out a shaky breath and offering the man a shy half smile.

“I guess.”

“I saw your legs shaking.” 

“You make a habit of looking at younger girl’s legs?” She was surprised to hear herself say it. So much energy was going into calming her nerves, that she wasn’t concentrating near enough on her filter. 

“Yes.” Tony chuckled, “But what I do with my time is my business.” Kara laughed at that.

“So did you just come over here to tell me my brave facade is failing?”

Tony reached into a pocket and twitched out what looked like a fancy cigarette case, but when he opened it, it had three hazy green cylinders of gauzy white paper. Kara looked from them to Tony, who looked dead serious. “I came over here cause it looks like you need to take the edge off.” Kara’s mouth lifted from a shy smile to a knowing grin. 

“I bet good money gets good stuff.”

“Better than anything you’ve ever had, baby.” Tony pulled one out and closed the case, lighting the end. He took a deep drag before offering it to Kara, who accepted. “Careful,” He advised as the girl brushed some curls out of her face absently before placing the joint in her mouth. “I wasn’t kidding about the strain. This shit’ll hit you like dab.”

Kara handed it back, holding the air in her lungs before breathing it out slowly. “You wouldn’t believe my tolerance.” She muttered as Tony took another drag. The man raised an eyebrow, but chose not to comment.

Steve leaned over the back of Natasha’s seat and whispered conspiratorially in her ear, “I think I should let you know that Tony is offering drugs to your underaged niece.”

Natasha sighed, massaging her temples. “Tell them to open an air vent. If it stinks up the QuinJet Tony’s gonna be the one paying to have it cleaned.”

“You’re not worried?”

“If Kara’s born tolerance is anything like her father’s, she’ll still be having lucid conversations while Tony is smelling colors.”

“I don’t recall Marijuana ever doing anything like that.” 

“Hell, Steve, I don’t know. It’s been so goddamned long. What I’m saying is that I’m not worried. If he starts offering her Valium or Vicodin, let me know.” Natasha lowered her voice so much that Steve could barely hear her. “Her mother was a druggie. The hard stuff. When Kara was born, she went through heroin and cocaine withdrawal as an infant. Should have killed her. Almost did. She grew up around it until she was seven or eight, right before we left Stalingrad. I guess it’s just a blessing that she’s no worse than she is now.” Natasha glanced back at her niece. Kara had her eyes closed, breathing out a wispy breath as she handed the joint back to Tony. When Kara opened her eyes and saw Natasha looking, she smiled sheepishly.

Steve patted the woman on the shoulder. “She doesn’t seem like a bad kid at all. She held her own back at the gala. Saved my bacon. Saved her friend. With a little training, she could be a good agent.”

Natasha shook her head, her mouth set in a grim line. “I don’t want this life for her. She deserves so much better than growing up learning to lie to everyone she loves.” She realized she had been clenching her fists, and unfurled them gingerly, uncovering little white crescent moons in her palm from her nails. “I just can’t believe I didn’t know she was in Stuttgart. I’m sure she wrote it down in the last letter she sent. I never really paid those enough attention I guess.” She thought guiltily about the pile of unopened letters on her counter, collecting in a growing pile of dust, and pieces of Kara’s life that Natasha had missed.

“I don’t know how much control you’re going to have over that. She’s part of this now, whether you want her to be or not.” Steve ran a hand through his blonde hair as the Helicarrier came into view through the front windshield. “Anyway. Lets just focus on the task at hand. Getting the Tesseract back, and getting rid of Loki for good and ever.”

“Yeah, because that plan has gone so well for us in the past.” the woman snorted. But she agreed. One thing at a time. As soon as she no longer had to worry about Loki or the Tesseract, that’s when she could focus on what to do with Kara.

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Upon entering the helicarrier, Kara was immediately hustled down a side corridor, away from the action of unloading Loki from the QuinJet, by Steve, who said they were going to the infirmary. It was only when trying to walk that Kara registered the full extent of her injuries. Her ankle was swollen and her feet hurt from being in her black heels all night, but when she bent down to take them off, her back screamed in pain. 

“You doing okay back there?” Steve slowed, looking behind him. In the harsh bright light of the helicarrier hallway, he observed that the curly haired teenager might be in much worse shape than he initially thought. He’d been relieved when she’d come back into consciousness on the QuinJet, and it had practically slipped his mind that mere hours ago, she had almost been killed. But here in the light, she really did look like someone who been on the brink of death less than half a day before. She was bruised on her arms, and deep purple and red finger marks left rings around her neck. Her lip was split, and everywhere from face, to arms, to long bare legs, was criss crossed with harsh red lines where the marble floor had bit into her during the explosions from Loki’s weapon. The girl idly checked a broken fingernail, and hoped as much as assumed that the missing end of it was lodged somewhere in the back of Loki’s hand. She looked up at Steve’s words. Her eyes were bloodshot, but Steve figured that had nothing to do with her injuries. Or it had everything to do with her injuries. It really depended on how a person looked at it, he decided. 

“Huh?” She had to think a little harder to understand the man’s question. “No, actually. I’m not feeling so hot. I feel like I just crawled out of a grave.”

“With all due respect, you look like you could use a hand walking.” Steve went to her, kneeling down to help her remove her shoes. 

“No, but I could use another foot.” Kara paused, furrowing her brow, trying to process what she had just said. “That was a joke.” She clarified, just in case he had missed it.

“It was funny.” Steve assured her, handing her the heels and taking her arm to help her walk. “Don’t worry, it’s only a little further. No rush, though. Take your time.” 

“Are you really ninety-two years old?” It was something Tony had said, but for some reason Kara couldn't believe it. “How is that possible?”

“I mean, technically I am.” The man cleared his throat. “It’s hard to describe it. I was, well, frozen.”

“How old were you when you were frozen?”

“I was twenty-two.” 

“So you’re really twenty-two?”

“I suppose. Though I’d be twenty-three now. Or ninety-three.”

Kara frowned. “That’s gotta be confusing as all get out.” 

Steve laughed, “You’re telling me. Imagine telling people how many candles to get for the birthday cake.”

Kara snickered at this.

“You laugh now, but just wait until you can’t figure out how old you are.” Steve grinned as the infirmary door came into view. A short, squat woman was waiting for them, leaning against the door frame and tapping her foot agitatedly. When she saw the pair she straightened, her face tight.

“Why wasn’t I told to have a gurney waiting?” She inquired, radiating with nervous energy. 

“Must have slipped everyone’s minds, dealing with the transport of a criminal and all.” Kara shrugged, but the movement sent bolts of pain through her neck. The short woman tutted indignantly at her.

“No sass, dear. I’ve patched up agents with all sorts of injuries, and I’ve told every one of them that you’re never too hurt to be polite.” She directed Kara to a blue clothed chair with a layer of white paper over it. It reminded Kara of being at the dentist, the way the chair was tilted back under the bright lights. The smell of rubbing alcohol and clorox was beginning to make her nose itch, and she crinkled her face to keep from sneezing. The woman got to work quickly, wetting a paper towel and pressing it softly over Kara’s arms, face, and legs, wiping away the blood and cleaning her of marble dust. 

“Whoa Nelly! There’s a girl under all that blood and mess!” Kara glared at Steve for his cheeky comment. The nurse stood back and squinted at her. 

“Really?” she chimed in, “You can tell under all those bruises?”

Steve shrugged. “Well, I got to see her before she got too banged up. So I’m guessing from memory.” Kara threw a heel at him, and the man caught it effortlessly. 

“Easy there, hon.” The nurse warned, dabbing stinging anti-bacterial ointment to the girl’s cuts. “None of these look too deep, no need for stitches. I don’t think any of them will even leave a scar.”

“That’s a small relief at least.” Kara lifted the palms of her hands for the woman’s examination. “Can you do anything for this?”

The nurse sucked air through her teeth and ‘tsk’ed a few times. “Goodness, what’d did you do here?” She lifted Kara’s hand closer and prodded on of the fluid filled blisters with a long white fingernail. Kara winced. 

“Very probably saved my life.” Steve answered for her, hopping up to sit on the counter. 

“I can lance the blisters and drain them. It’ll hurt, but keep them covered and they’ll scab over, they should heal fine.”

Kara raised her eyebrows at the blonde woman. “Where did you get your medical training?” 

“The internet.” She responded casually. Steve choked, and Kara looked baffled. 

“You mean S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't have properly trained medical assistants?” The girl couldn’t decide if she found this funny or horrifying. 

The nurse had the decency to look abashed. “Well, I’m just a stand in, for minor injuries and blood work. I know how to take a pulse and stitch people up, enter numbers into a computer and stuff like that. They reserve the real, big league medical team for serious stuff such as surgeries or amputations. We better do this part last-“ She nodded at Kara’s hands. “It could get a little messy. Let’s take your blood first.”

“What for?”

“Couple of reasons.” The blonde responded, almost too quickly in Kara’s mind. “First, we’ll have you on record, in case you get even more badly injured and need a blood transfusion. We’ll know what type you are. It also tells us if you have any infections, diseases, or if you’re-“ She cut herself off. “If you have an unusually large amount of white blood cells,” She continued in a cheery, school teacher-y tone, “It can mean you have something wrong with one of your organs. Usually liver or kidney.” She swabbed down a small patch of freckled skin on the underside of Kara’s arm, just above her right elbow. “Don’t tense up.” 

Kara did her best not to watch the needle enter her skin, by busying herself watching Steve. He had gotten up from his seat and was bustling around the big room, obviously growing impatient waiting for the nurse to finish with Kara, and had begun to dress his own wound. His Captain America suit was unzipped a bit in the back, pulled down to just below his ribs so that he could pull his arm out of it, exposing several inches of finely toned chest and shoulders. Kara wet her lips and looked away, but found herself unable to resist glancing back. Steve caught her looking, and Kara instantly shifted her eyes downward, pink crawling across her cheeks. 

“Oh- Gosh, I’m sorry.” Steve tried to cover himself as much as possible without putting his arm back into his sleeve. “That was rude of me.”

“Don’t mention it.” Kara mumbled, still looking down.

“I’m going to dash to my quarters, grab some clothes and come back, okay? Don’t leave.” With that Steve was out the door, and Kara breathed a small breath of relief. 

“There! All done!” The nurse chirped, turning to place the small tube of Kara’s blood into a machine. She pressed a few buttons and the machine began to whir, inserting a small needle into the cap of the tube, then lifting it out, just to dip it’s head into another tube filled with a clear, blue tinted liquid. It did this over and over again, until the twenty-four separate tubes in the tray beneath it, all holding differently tinted clear mixtures, had been visited. 

“What’s it doing?” Kara asked in awe as the tray began to vibrate, thoroughly mixing the different solutions. 

“Each of those tester cylinders hold a different enzyme.” The chubby woman answered, clicking a few keys on the monitor, which displayed a form-like looking sheet with blank spaces. “As your blood reacts with each enzyme, it will collect a drop from each tube and place it through the scanner here-“ She patted a big gray and white machine. “Which will calculate and compare the blood’s reaction to how a perfectly healthy person’s would, and dictate what we need to know. Everything will show up in this form here as it’s processed. Pretty slick, huh?”

Kara had to admit that was pretty fascinating. She wondered what the machine could tell her about herself, just from a few drops of blood. 

“Alright, let’s see those hands.” The nurse took a paper enclosed suture and ripped the packaging open with her teeth to reveal the sharpened, curved, blade like needle. She removed the black thread and expertly punctured the first bubble of flesh. In comparison to what Kara had already been through, it really didn’t hurt that badly. The fluid that emerged from the wound was clear, but stained the cotton balls that the nurse used to soak it up with a sickly yellow. Kara grimaced in disgust. “Now don’t rip the dead skin off yet.” The woman warned as she finished with Kara’s left hand. She rubbed another jelly-like ointment on Kara’s palm, then placed a gauze pad over the sores before wrapping the palm in soft white bandages. “Give it a few days for the new skin to grow under the dead stuff. That way it won’t be so tender, or prone to infection.” She picked up Kara’s right hand, the less badly burned of the two, and began her work on it.

“Hey- I ran into your aunt on the way back.” Kara turned her head to the door to see Steve, now dressed in a plain gray T-shirt and jeans, entering the room with a pile of clothes cradled in his good arm. “She said she’d be here in a few minutes, but told me to give you these.” Kara eyed the bundle Steve held suspiciously. She recognized that filmy white v-neck. 

The nurse finished with Kara’s hand, and the girl hopped off the chair, carefully avoiding using her hands, as Steve set the clothes on the counter. She went to them, rummaging around in the pile until she came up with a simple white bra and a pair of blue floral panties. She ignored Steve’s embarrassed cough as he looked away. “These are mine!” she gasped. “How in the world?”

“She said they sent an agent to your hotel room in Stuttgart to get your stuff…” Steve muttered, facing away from the girl as the nurse helped her change out of her dress and into her comfortable skinny jeans and white shirt. 

The devil was in Kara’s eye as she said, “Ugh, that means they probably found my lingerie!” She bit back a laugh as she saw Steve’s back tense. She had pegged him early on as an old fashioned type of guy, an idea that had only been confirmed with their earlier conversation. Kara snickered to herself. She didn’t own any lingerie, cute bras, yes, cute underwear, yes, but nothing that could be considered lingerie. “They forgot socks and shoes…” She said finally, and Steve turned around. 

“Nice nails…” He commented, his gaze on the floor. “I didn’t notice those before.” 

“Thanks.” Kara wiggled her toes. “I read somewhere that painting your toenails red would increase the feeling of sexiness and confidence.”

“Did it work?” The nurse asked curiously

Kara shook her head. “Not really.” 

Just then the screen of the monitor began to flash, catching everyone’s attention a split second before a loud, piercing siren went off, fading then growing in volume like the intermittent wail of a firetruck. 

Kara jumped, and Steve placed a large hand on her back to calm her. “What is that?!” she asked, her voice shrill, and barely audible over the alarm. She spun to the nurse for an answer, but the blonde woman’s face had gone pale as she struggled to scan the flashing form. When she turned back around to face Kara, her face was set in a mask of fear. 

“What?” Kara insisted, “What is it?” 

“You’re-“

Just then several figures burst through the open doorway, all wearing body armor and armed to the teeth. Four took position at the door, falling into crouches, their weapons drawn and aimed at Kara, who put her hands up quickly. The other four surrounded her and Steve, moving in.

One grabbed Kara’s arm, and she cried out as he roughly forced her arms behind her back. “Ow! Stop!” She shot her eyes frantically at Steve. 

“What is going on here?” He demanded, stepping forward threateningly. “Let go of her, can’t you see she’s injured?” As he moved towards the man who had grabbed Kara, another Agent stepped between them, gun up and pointed at Steve’s chest. 

“Back up.” She ordered gruffly. Steve didn’t. “I said, back up!” The woman wound herself up to hit Steve across the face with the weapon, but the man grabbed the butt of the gun and twisted it out of the guard’s hands, slamming it up under her jaw with a crack that caused her to crumple to the floor. Steve glared at the other guards, brandishing the gun like a club. 

“You folks know who I am, and I highly doubt you’ve been cleared to shoot me. So I’m gonna ask one more time, nicely. Let go of the kid.”

There was silence for a moment, then, hesitantly, the man holding Kara’s arms let go. The weapons aimed at her, however, did not waver. 

There were running footsteps in the hall, more than one pair, and to Kara’s relief, Natasha charged into the room, followed by Tony, Thor, a tall black man with an eye patch, and a stalky, muscular man with mousy brown hair. 

“Lower your weapons.” The man with the eye patch ordered calmly, going to the monitor and pressing a key. The wailing siren stopped instantly. 

“But sir-“ One of the guards started. A look from the man’s singular eye cut him off, and he motioned to his crew to disarm. 

“You are all dismissed, go back to whatever you were doing before this nonsense.” 

“Yes Director.” with nods, the guards collected their fallen comrade and hustled out of the room. Director Fury turned to Natasha and began to speak quietly with her. While they spoke, Tony side stepped around them and moseyed over to the monitor nonchalantly, clicking something on the mouse pad. The screen stopped flashing and Tony read the form, his brow knitting in confusion. 

“Banner-“ he motioned for the brown haired man, who sidled up beside him cautiously, keeping one eye on Fury and Natasha’s hushed conversation. “What does this number and letter combo mean?” Kara watched them, her heart beating furiously, too shocked to move from where she stood. 

“It means exactly what is says down here-“ Banner pointed to something small on the screen. Kara tried to see, but her view was obscured by the two heads who bent down to have a closer look. 

“Any way it could be a false reading?” Tony’s voice didn’t sound hopeful, Kara noted. He sounded frustrated. Banner turned his head and examined the twenty-four cylinders of fluid, all tested separately and run through the scanner. 

“That’s…highly unlikely.” He said finally. Tony’s back stiffened and he spun around to face Natasha and Fury, his face set in a grim, determined line. 

“I thought you guys said we were working together as a team.” He growled. Natasha and Fury looked up at him. “And as much as I fought the idea, I agree. But doesn’t working as a team generally mean enlightening other team members about possible danger?”

Natasha’s cold eyes met his as they stared each other down. “Get to the point Stark. What are you talking about?”

Tony pointed an accusing finger at Kara, who flinched as if he had thrown something. “When were you planning to tell us your niece is a goddamn mutant?”


	5. One of Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy!

There was a shocked silence that seemed to stretch for eternity. Kara looked from Tony to her aunt, her mouth open in horror. "What?" she finally began, her voice high and shrill with panic. "I'm not- I don't-"

"That's impossible!" Steve protested, but Kara noticed he moved no closer to her, as if he was wary of a potential danger. "If she was a mutant, wouldn't she know it by now?"

"Who says she doesn't?" Tony glared at the girl suspiciously. "So? Failed to mention a little something, did you?"

Kara shook her head helplessly. She felt tears in her eyes, from fear or embarrassment or just from being completely overwhelmed, she didn't know. "I'm not…" the protest was weak and watery from the lump in her throat.

"She's not a mutant." Natasha crossed her arms and stared Tony down.

"Oh, so this is lying then?" Was the sarcastic reply as the man tapped the computer accusingly.

"For Christ's sake, Stark. She's not a mutant." The redhead repeated. She stalked over to the monitor, pushing Tony out of the way roughly, and zoomed in on the lower half of the form. There was a line of text reading "MG: C - NC" and then two boxes beside it, one with an "A" and the other with an "NA". On the screen, Kara could clearly see that the "C" in the line of text was highlighted, as was the box labeled "NA"

"If you would just stop jumping to conclusions for one second." Natasha snapped, "Yes, she tested positive on the mutant screening, but that doesn't mean she's a mutant. That's not what the machine was testing for. It was testing for carriers."

Kara did not like the sound of that at all. The word "Carrier" dredged up images from all the zombie movies she had ever seen, and all the games she'd ever played. She was reminded of people who thought they were immune to horrible contagions, but actually ended up just being "Carriers," who spread it across countries. She frantically looked down at her bandaged hands and arms, afraid she would see the tips of her fingers graying or blistering.

"I'm a carrier of what?" She concentrated on sounding calm, but her voice came out strained and panicky.

"Every agent is tested," Director Fury's voice boomed through the little room. "When they join S.H.I.E.L.D forces. The mutant gene is rare, but we have to know if someone carries it, so they can be monitored."

"What's so special about it if it's just in a person's genetics, but they're not mutated?" Steve seemed to calm a bit, even moving closer to Kara to give her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Kara appreciated the gesture, even though it smarted a little. "Why the fan fare?" Steve continued.

"Agent Romanoff, I'm going to let you handle this. I don't have time to explain basic agent qualification examination when I've got a prisoner to interrogate." Fury dismissed himself and stalked out of the room, followed closely by the nurse, who seemed to have been waiting for any excuse to leave. Five pairs of eyes turned to Natasha, who sighed heavily. She was about to speak, but a loud rumble disrupted the silence, and everyone turned to Kara, who flushed.

"You know…" Tony said conversationally to Kara, as if she had spoken. "That is not a half bad idea. Who else says we discuss this over some food?"

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As freaked out as she had been, Kara was incredibly grateful for the food, however dry, that had been placed in front of her. Normally she would have been embarrassed to eat in front of so many people when they were all staring at her, with the exception of Tony, who was eating his own food with enthusiasm, and the curly haired man who had been introduced to her as Bruce Banner, who was reading a stack of papers.

When Kara had finished her small meal, she met the eyes of the people positioned around the table from her. Natasha seemed to take this as a sign to continue her previous explanation.

"As I was saying," She began, "The mutant gene is rare, and, more often than not, it's dormant. Unactivated."

"Right. So if a person has this gene, but it's not active, why scan for it? Why monitor the agents that carry it?" Bruce put down the papers, tapping them. "The chemical composition is odd. The make up is similar to my own mutation, but not quite. Is that because she was born with it?"

Natasha nodded. "We don't fully understand it ourselves. The gene manifests differently in different people. It's not the same, even between parents and offspring, or even between twins. But the chemical make up is identical, no matter the subject."

Steve furrowed his brow. "So it adapts to the subject depending on each individuals genetics? Like, I don't know, a parasite of some sort?"

The redhead shrugged, "We have no idea. Maybe it's a genetic disease. Maybe it's a parasite in a symbiotic relationship with the host. Maybe it's just a weird mutation in the DNA that shows up differently, the way there are different shades of red hair, or different shades within the same eye color. We don't know. It's chemically the same in everyone, it just doesn't appear the same way. It's incredibly complex, and the more we find out about it, the less we know."

"So why monitor the specimens?"

Kara cringed at the word specimen. It made her feel like she was being pressed between two pieces of glass and slid under a microscope for closer inspection.

"The problem-"

There was another word Kara didn't like. Problem. There was a problem. Of course there was. God forbid life be simple for her.

"The problem," Natasha repeated with a sigh, "Is that certain elements, certain stressors, if you will, can cause the dormant gene to activate. Extreme pain, distress, or even, in some severe cases, if the gene is particularly volatile in a person, a bad anxiety attack."

There was silence. Tony sat with his mouth open, a small grey clump of masticated sandwich clinging to his bottom teeth. "You're kidding." He said flatly.

"It doesn't always happen." Natasha said, but her words did nothing to calm Kara. The food she had eaten turned to a brick inside her stomach and she heard a rushing in her ears.

"You…You mean I could turn at any time?" She choked.

"It's very unlikely." Natasha assured her quickly. "Especially with everything you've gone through with Loki. If that didn't trigger your mutation, I don't think it's much of a possibility at all."

"It says here you had an agent who only mutated when she was about to die. The gene activated just in time to save her life. And now she's got, regeneration? She can't be hurt?"

"That doesn't sound too shabby…" Steve commented.

Natasha shook her head in warning, "Not all mutations are that convenient. Or as 'pretty' as that. We also had an agent mutate after he lost his partner in the field. He grew gills. He can't stay away from water for more than a few hours at a time or he'll suffocate." Kara had to admit that sounded far less pleasant than the previous one.

Tony squinted at the girl. "So what now? How do you make sure she doesn't turn?" There was a glint in his eye when he said, "Is there a way to force a transformation?" He pulled a small stick pin out of his pocket and grinned devilishly at Kara. She glared at him.

"It's not funny!" She couldn't stop herself from snapping. "What if I stub my toe, and suddenly I get scales or something?"

"You could wrap yourself in bubble wrap, or wear steel toed boots." Tony suggested. Kara stood angrily, her chair toppling over as she slammed her hands on the table.

"This isn't a joke, Tony! This is my life!" She felt the remaining pieces of her exhausted mind shatter. "I didn't ask for this!" She turned to her aunt, and was horrified to see everyone flinch as she did, as if any moment she would burst into flames and they would have to leap into action. Everyone, she noticed, except Bruce, who watched her sadly. Her anger immediately drained when she looked at the curly haired man's face, and suddenly she understood why he seemed so calm. He was faking it, putting on a false show of tranquility so that he wouldn't be on the receiving end of such intense stares.

When the girl seemed to catch his unspoken message, Bruce gestured to the three tensed up agents at the table and shook his head. "No offense Kara, but you should get used to the looks on their faces. It's how everyone is going to look at you for the rest of your life. Or at least until you mutate." He stood, patting Kara on the back as he righted her chair for her.

Steve at least had the decency to look embarrassed as he consciously changed his concerned expression into something that looked like he was trying not to look concerned. "Don't worry kiddo. You've had this gene your whole life without knowing it, and if you haven't mutated yet, you're not going to now. Best not to stress it."

"We have no time to sit here idly!" Thor boomed, and Kara wondered if it was possible for him to say anything quietly.

"Hold up big guy. We can't do anything until Fury finishes with your brother." Tony cut the Asgardian off as Bruce reclaimed his seat. "Banner and I hit the ground running with the radar, but it won't do us any good until it's done calibrating." He looked over to Natasha, who deliberately ignored him. "If we're lucky, or unlucky, it'll finish calibrating, but Fury will have gotten enough information out of Loki that we won't need it at all."

"We'll need it," Steve contradicted. "Loki's up to something. He's not going to give up the tesseract."

"Well, that's one small blessing, am I right?" Tony nudged Bruce in the arm, and the man flashed a small smile.

Just then, a guard stomped into the room. Kara was surprised to see that he couldn't have been much older than her. Maybe twenty? Twenty-one? It was hard to say.

"Agent Romanoff?" he started, and Kara blinked rapidly in shock before looking away to avoid staring. His teeth were all long and pointed, and his tongue was forked like a snakes. Only when she looked down did she see that his hands were webbed, with a thin layer of skin stretched between his brown fingers. When he noticed her staring, he coughed uncomfortably and slid his hands into his pockets.

"What is it, Ramirez?"

"Your presence is requested in the prison hangar."

"Looks like Fury couldn't crack the nutcase." Tony mumbled. He had somehow found a small container of blueberries and was offering them to the people at the table.

"Please let the director know I'll be there shortly." Natasha looked to the rest of the table. "Kara, do not go anywhere without Steve."

Kara was about to protest, but Tony, of course, beat her to it.

"Ouch, babysitting detail. That's gotta sting."

"Not as much as not being deemed mature enough to handle it should." Steve replied coolly. "Come on, Kara. I've got a job for us." Kara looked to Natasha, who nodded, before following Steve meekly out of the room.

Natasha stood to leave as well. "I think it's time for you two to get back to the lab." she said pointedly to Tony and Bruce. "Take Thor with you." And with that, she was gone.

"Bossy one, isn't she?"

Bruce shrugged. "She knows how to get a job done, that's for sure."

Tony snorted, patting Bruce on the back. "Come on. Let's go see if we can scan for the Tesseract yet."

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

Loki paced back and forth in his glass cell, the sound of his boots on the clear bottom echoing off and bouncing around the cylinder. Suddenly he stopped, and, without looking around, said, "There's not many people who can sneak up on me." He turned to see Natasha standing in front of the glass, her hands at her sides.

"But you figured I'd come." She said.

"After. After what tortures Fury can concoct." He spat the word, "You would come as a friend, and I would cooperate."

Natasha set her jaw. "I wanna know what you've done to agent Barton."

Loki grinned, "I would say I've expanded his mind."

"And once you've won? Once you're king of the mountain? What happens to his mind?"

"Is this love, agent Romanoff?"

Natasha scowled, "Love is for children. I owe him a debt."

Loki raise an eyebrow, pulling the chair from the center of his cell to the wall nearest Natasha and sat. "Tell me."

Natasha frowned, pulling up a chair as well. " Before I worked for S. H.E.I.L.D, I, uh, well. I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care who I used it for, or on." She swallowed uncomfortably, "I got on S.H.E.I.L.D's radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me, he made a different call."

Loki leaned forward expectantly. "And what will you do if I vow to spare him?"

"Not let you out."

"Ah no. But I like this. Your world in the balance, and you bargain for one man?"

"Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that. I'm Russian. Or was." She shrugged, "It's not really that complicated. I've got red on my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out."

Loki's smile turned dark and venomous. "Can you? Can you wipe out that much red? Drakov's daughter? São Paulo? The hospital fire? Barton told me everything." He smirk slyly "And that's not even counting what you did to your own family."

Natasha glared at him,"What are you talking about."

"Your brother-your precious little niece. Does she remember any of her life in Russia? Only the good bits I'd imagine. Those are the only parts you'd let her keep."

"You're bluffing." Natasha insisted, but she could feel her face go pale.

"Am I? Does she know what happened to her mother? Or did you come up with some lie? The same way you covered up her father's death." Loki gasped in mock surprise. "Does your mother know? Did you ever tell her how you killed your own brother?"

"That's a lie!" Natasha shouted, standing so suddenly that her chair toppled backwards. "I never touched him!"

"Maybe not, but I know who you did touch-" There was a glint in his eye as he mimicked breaking someone's neck with his hands. "I know everything about you. And about your niece. And about your whole miserable existence!" He rose from his chair as well and slammed his hand into the glass. Natasha flinched. "I won't touch Barton. Not until I make him hurt you. Slowly. Intimately. In every way he knows you fear! I'll tell your niece everything. Every last memory that she doesn't know, I'll give back. Every horror you've committed against her, I'll expose. I will drown her in everything you've tried to protect her from. I'll let her kill you. I won't even have to take her mind for her to do it. And then I'll split her skull and she will die hating you with every fiber of her being. This is my bargain you mewling quim!"

Natasha's spun away from him, a look of disgust on her face. "You're a monster…"

"No." Loki laughed. "You brought the monster."

Instantly Natasha straightened, her shoulders going back confidently. She turned back to Loki, a barely hidden pleased look dancing across her face. "So Banner. That's your play."

Loki was taken aback. "What?"

Natasha pressed her ear piece, still staring contemptuously at Loki. "Loki means to unleash the Hulk. Keep Banner in the lab. I'm on my way, make sure Thor is with him." She nodded to Loki, "Thank you for your cooperation." She quickly walked away and out of the room, the door sliding closed with a slam behind her, and leaving Loki frozen in place.

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

Kara followed Steve down a bright corridor and into a dimly lit stairway, but when she looked down into the dark, cramped space, she froze.

"Can you tell me where we are going now? Now that the others aren't around?"

Steve turned back to her, already a few steps down into the cooler air below. "I just need to check something out. And I'm in charge of you until your aunt comes back." He shrugged, "Though she probably just didn't want you wandering around. If you want I can drop you off at her quarters, as long as you promise to stay there. You could take a nap or something."

Kara considered this. There was a large part of her that cheered at the idea of taking a nap. It was only after Steve had suggested it that she realize how completely exhausted she was. She opened her mouth to agree, but stopped. If I told Emmy that I chose a nap over the chance to do some sleuthing with Captain America, she would crucify me for sure. She shook her head. "I'll stay with you. Just stop walking so fast. I'm hurt."

Steve grinned at her. "Oh yeah. You were so quiet about it, I almost forgot I was toting around a cripple."

"Shut up."

They continued down the stairs, slower this time. Kara put her hands on the cold metal wall to steady herself as they descended. She could hear the sound of rushing wind growing louder as they reached the bottom of the stairs, and the air was considerably colder. She shivered and rubbed her arms. "Are we near the outside of the ship?"

"Just through this door and it'll be right under our feet." Steve put his hand on the thick steel door and tried the latch. It didn't budge.

"It's locked?" Kara peeked over Steve's shoulder to see him wrapping his hands around two of the metal bars of the wheel lock and twisting as hard as he could. Veins popped out on his forehead and arms as he forced the wheel to give an inch, then another. Kara briefly wondered which would give first, the lock or Steve's blood vessels. Finally there was a metallic scraping, and the wheel began to turn easily

"That's better." Steve huffed as the door swung open.

At first, Kara thought she was looking at a maze of some sort, but when Steve moved through the door and out of her way, she realized what she was seeing were crates. Hundreds of them. All in neat rows that were piled to the ceiling. "Jesus…" She breathed, "I didn't know S.H.E.I.L.D was so pressed for funding that they needed to start hauling Georgia peaches."

"That's not a peach on the side of the box." Steve frowned, and Kara was surprised by his sudden change in demeanor.

"What is it then?" She crouched down by one of the crates and rubbed a bandaged hand across the red symbol to clear the dust. It looked like a squid, or maybe an octopus, but she couldn't be sure. "What is this?" When she looked up she found that Steve was no longer with her. She stood quickly. "Steve?" Oh no. Had she lost him? Maybe he had brought her down here deliberately to ditch her. Maybe he was more bitter about being stuck with babysitting than he had admitted. Oh god, she thought. What if he's not really Steve at all? She felt her chest tightening in fear. What if he was actually Loki in disguise? She had seen him change his clothing mysteriously at the Gala, what if he could change his face just as easily? What if, any second, he could press a button and Kara and the hundreds of boxes would go flying out of the hull into open air. I would run out of breath screaming before I hit the ground… "Steve!?" Her cry was more frantic this time as she looked down at one aisle of boxes, and then another.

"Over here, kiddo!" The call was from a few rows over, and it sure sounded like Steve. Still, Kara cautiously peaked her head around the crates before walking towards him.

He was staring up at the top of one pile, a frown on his face. When he noticed Kara sidle up to him, he nodded up to the top crate. "See where the boxes are staggered a bit towards the end of the line?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm pretty sure I can scale that to grab that box up there. The problem would be getting it down. I don't want to break what's inside."

"What's inside?"

"I'm not sure. But if I'm right about what I think is in there, we sure as hell don't want to be throwing these guys around."

Kara shook her head. "I don't think I could catch that if you dropped it to me…"

"That's the problem." Steve nodded, considering. "How are your hands feeling? They still hurt?"

Kara wasn't stupid and she knew immediately what Steve was thinking. "I've got third degree burns over both of my palms, Steve. There is no way."

"What if I gave you a boost to that first box there?" He pointed to one at the end. Almost half of it was visible from the pile. "It's practically like climbing stairs after that."

"What if I fall?"

"I'll catch you."

"Can't you just take one from the bottom?"

"Only if we want to risk the whole row collapsing on us." He laced fingers together and lowered himself to one knee at the end of the row, ready to give Kara a boost up. "Come on. All you have to do is push the box off the top to me, then jump off after. Simple."

Kara sighed, sliding her foot into Steve's interlocked fingers. "Fine. But if you drop me I'm suing you."

"That's fair," Steve chuckled as he lifted her to the first box, "But I can probably afford a better lawyer."

The crate creaked warningly as Kara put her weight on it, and she froze. "It's gonna flip over and dump me!"

"Nah it won't. More than half of it is still in the pile, the weight of the others will keep it down. Trust me."

"You better be right…" Kara muttered, pulling herself the rest of the way onto the crate. It didn't give, but her arm muscles screamed in protest as she clambered up the remaining distance to the top of the stack.

"Do you see it?" Steve called, looking up at her.

"I see it."

"Crawl to it, don't stand. Keep your weight on the edges of the boxes where the frame is thicker. You don't want to break through the wood and slice up your leg even more."

Kara ground her teeth. She felt heat spreading over her palms and knew she must have split the skin. It was either bleeding or oozing some sort of fluid. There was no way to know in the moment.

"Great!" Steve exclaimed when she reached the crate. "Push it over!"

"Don't get flattened!" The girl warned, "It feels really heavy." She saw Steve brace himself below, and shoved the crate as hard as she could. She tensed, waiting for Steve's cry of pain. There wasn't one. Instead, there was a heavy thud, and the sound of Steve setting the box on the floor.

"Alright, your turn kiddo!" He braced himself again and Kara scowled.

"You'll catch me?" She asked dubiously, pushing her hair out of her face.

"I promise."

Kara closed her eyes. "Okay. One, two, three-" She pushed herself forward, her eyes still squeezed shut so she wouldn't see the ground rushing up at her. Her stomach seemed to fly into her throat. Suddenly arms were around her, lowering her to the ground.

"See? That wasn't so bad."

She opened her eyes to see Steve as he let go of her. "You were a piece of cake after catching this." He knelt next to the wooden crate.

Kara rubbed her forehead, grimacing. "It made me really motion sick." She lowered herself down next to Steve. "So how are we going to open it?" Steve produced a long crowbar and positioned it beneath the lid. Kara stared at him. "Where did you… have you had that this entire time?"

Steve met her eyes questioningly. "Yes?"

"Where were you…uh… Keeping it?"

"I put it on the ground, why?"

Kara shook her head. "Nothing. I just must have missed it. Let's get on with this. I can't feel my toes." She wiggled her bare toes to make sure they hadn't frozen off.

The crack of splitting wood made her flinch as Steve pressed down on the crowbar. The wood must have been damp, because after the initial shock of the metal lock tearing through it, the thin pieces of scrap were soft and stringy. Kara began to reach in to remove the filmy white padding that covered whatever was inside, but Steve stopped her.

"Be careful." He warned. "I'm not one hundred percent sure what's in there. Could be dangerous, you better let me do this." The girl didn't object, just pulled her hand away. Steve gently lifted the gauzy fabric away to reveal the contents of the crate.

"Oh my god." Kara breathed, horrified. "What in the world are those things?" She'd never seen anything like them before.

"They're weapons." Steve's voice was tight with anger. He lifted one of the gleaming metal guns into the air. "Energy rifles of some sort. From Hydra."

"Hydra?"

"Another corporation. Specializes in warfare and getting in S.H.E.I.L.D.'s way."

"So you work for S.H.E.I.L.D then? You're an agent?"

Steve sucked air through his teeth. "Volunteer manpower would be a better way to put it I believe." He scowled again. "Don't know what I'll be considered after I get some answers on this."

Kara shot a concerned look at the man. For the first time she began to question what exactly she'd just help Steve uncover. Natasha is going to be pissed.

"Let's get out of here." The man stood, the weapon cradled in his hands. "We need to get this back to the lab, and you. You're bleeding." Red liquid had completely soaked through the bandages and left little bloody hand prints when Kara lifted herself from the floor.

"Shit," she muttered, tightening the bindings with her teeth. "Doesn't seem too bad though. I'll just put my hands in a pair of Nat's socks or something."

"You're probably the only person who can do that and not die for it. But we shouldn't test it. We'll grab some fresh gauze from the infirmary on our way back." He began to head towards the stairs, and Kara followed, taking one last look at the rows and rows of piled crates.

"Steve?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think every single one of those boxes have got guns like that in them?"

Steve glanced back into the hall thoughtfully. "I think they do."

"What does anyone need that many guns for?" She asked incredulously.

Steve sighed. "Kid, I just hope we're not around when they need to be used."


	6. Attack

Nick Fury walked into the lab, and immediately Tony and Banner moved away from the scepter they'd been gazing at, looking sheepish.

“What are you doing, Stark,” Fury asked angrily, moving further into the lab. “You’re supposed to be locating the Tesseract.”

“We are,” Banner cut in, “The models locked now and we're sweeping for a signature. When we get a hit, we'll have a location within half a mile.”

Tony nodded with a lazy shrug. "and you'll have your cube back, no muss, no fuss.” Suddenly the monitor he'd been working on began to beep, and he turned to it. “I'm beginning to hate this sound." He muttered, tapping a few keys, “It hasn't indicated anything good so far.” The screen flashed, and a collection of files popped up, all reading in bold red letters, “Secret”. Tony looked at Fury, raising an eyebrow. "What's Phase 2?”

Fury opened his mouth to speak, but was stopped by Steve brushing by him angrily, an arm full of rifles in his grasp, and followed closely by Kara, who was looking a tad shamefaced.

“Phase 2,” Steve began, letting the rifles drop to the tabletop and glowering at Fury, “Is using the Cube to make weapons.”

“Rogers,” Fury began again, "We gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we are-“

"There were hundreds of boxes down there.” Kara mumbled, a little too loud. Fury cast a venomous look at her.

“She's right.” Steve nodded. “That's a lot of boxes to just be ‘collecting’. I was wrong, Director. The world hasn't changed a bit.”

Just then, Natasha walked into the lab, followed by Thor. She kept her eyes trained on Banner, who glared back, fury burning in his eyes.

“Did you know about this?" He snapped at the redhead. Natasha remained cool, but there was an edge of tension in her voice when she responded.

"You want to think about removing yourself from this environment, Doctor?”

Banner scoffed in disgust, “I was in Calcutta. I was pretty well removed. You gonna ask your niece to leave next? For all we know, she's just as volatile as I am.”

Kara blushed at this, and tried to make herself small behind Steve. Natasha glanced around and found Kara's eyes briefly before returning her attention to Banner. “Loki is manipulating you.”

“And you've been doing what exactly?” Banner challenged, raising his brows.

“You didn't come here because I bat my eyes-“

“Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little bit twitchy. I’d like to know why S.H.I.E.D is using the Tesseract to make weapons of mass destruction.”

Fury pointed an angry finger at Thor. “Because of him.”

Thor looked stunned. “Me?”

Fury nodded. “Two years ago we had a visit from another planet who had a grudge match that leveled a small town in New Mexico.” Kara’s blood went cold, and she clenched her fists against her new, clean hand wrappings. “We Learned that not only are we not alone," Fury continued, “But we are hopelessly, hilariously, outgunned.”

Thor looked outraged. “My people wants nothing but peace with your planet!”

“But you're not the only people out there, are you? And you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, can't be controlled.”

“Like you controlled the Tesseract? And all the mutants you monitor?” Steve countered sarcastically.

Kara and Banner made brief, uncomfortable eye contact before Kara swallowed and look down. 

“Your work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it.” Thor said, “He and his allies. It is you who signaled to all the realms that earth is ready for a higher form of war.”

Fury flushed in frustration. “You forced our hand. We had to come up with something.”

“Nuclear deterrent?” Tony volunteered, “Yeah. Because that always calms everything right down.”

“Remind me again how you made your fortune, Stark?” Fury shot back.

Steve rolled his eyes. “I'm sure if he still made weapons, Stark would be neck deep.”

Tony threw up his hands defensively. “Wait, wait, hold on. How is this about me?”

“I'm sorry," Steve frowned. “isn't everything?”

Thor growled and crossed his arms, “I thought humans were more evolved than this.”

“Whoa!” Kara finally snapped under the tension. “We didn't come to your planet and start destroying cities and attacking pregnant women, did we?” Thor turned to her.

“Do you show all the people who've saved your life this much distrust?”

“You wouldn't have needed to save my life if your brother hadn’t tried to kill me in the first place!”

“Kara stay out of this-it has nothing to do with you.” Natasha said.

 

“Nothing to do with me?" Kara asked, aghast. “I was just told I was going to be monitored for the rest of my life! I'm going to be on a watch list next to you, and Steve!”

Banner looked shocked. “Captain America is on a threat list?” 

Natasha brought her hands to her temples, “Are you all really that naïve? S.H.I.E.L.D monitors all potential threats.”

Tony turned to Steve with a wide grin. “You’re on that list? Above or below angry bees?”

“I swear to God, Stark. One more crack, just one more. Back. Off.”

Tony rolled his shoulders, “oh, I'm starting to want you to make me.” He moved closer to Steve, until they were almost face-to-face.

Kara, realizing that a fight was very possibly about to break out, tried to move to the wall, hoping to be out of the trajectory of anything that could get thrown. Her back hit a counter and she turned to find a way around it, but stopped when she noticed, and seemed to be the only one to notice, a blue light emanating from the end of Loki's scepter. “Hey-“ but she was silenced by Steve's growing voice.

“The only thing that you really fight for is yourself. You're not the guy to make the sacrifice play, to lay down on a wire and let the other guy crawl over you.”

“I think I would just cut the wire.”

Steve smiled humorlessly. “Always a way around, huh? Put on the suit, let's go a few rounds.”

Banner tried to step in then, “Rogers, Stark, this isn’t the-“

“Agent Romanoff,” Fury cut him off, “Would you escort Dr.Banner back to his-“

“Where?” Banner snapped. “You rented my room.”

“The cell was just in case-“

“In case you needed to kill me, but you can't! I know! I tried!” Silence fell across the room. “I got low.” Banner continued slowly. “I didn't see an end, so I put a bullet my mouth. But the other guy spit it out. So I moved on. I focused on helping other people. I was good, until you dragged me back into this freak show and put everyone here at risk!” There was a beep, and everyone turned to the computer. Banner walked over to it. “We've got it- but there's something- oh my God!” 

Just as the words were out of his mouth, there was an explosion that sent everyone flying in every direction. Kara tumbled over the counter and hit the floor on the other side. She looked up just in time to see the scepter tilt on its stand, and clambered out of the way as it clattered to the floor, nearly pinning her with its deadly blades. “Engine three is down, we're being attacked!” She heard someone yell, but through the confusion of people shouting and sirens blaring, she had no idea who it was.

“Romanoff and Banner fell, we need to-“

“No! Stark, you and Rogers repair the engines! Get them going or we’ll crash!” She recognized that voice as Fury’s, and climbed to her feet just in time to see him dash from the room.

“Come on! Rogers! We gotta go!” Tony shouted as he ran out of the door as well.

Steve whipped his head around. “Kara!” He shouted, his eyes wide with panic.

“I'm here!” Kara struggled back over the counter, “What's going on?!”

“We need to get you somewhere safe. We're under attack." Steve grabbed Kara's arm and began to pull her towards the door.

“Wait! The staff!”

“What?”

“The staff! Loki's staff! We can't leave it here!" Steve let go of Kara and ran back into the room, vaulting the counter easily and scooped up the scepter.

“Alright, come on!” He urged, taking her hand again and running down the hall. 

She had no idea where they were going, just followed Steve as he ran down corridor after corridor, until they reached the infirmary. Steve pushed Kara inside and began to close the door, but she grabbed his arm. “Wait! Steve wait- I want to help!”

“You are.” Steve said seriously. He placed the scepter gently into Kara’s hands and stared into her face. “You cannot let this fall into the wrong hands. Stay here. Keep this safe. Lock the door when I'm gone.”

Kara swallowed the panic in her throat and nodded. “Don't die.”

Steve smiled. “That’s not on the agenda. I promise.” With that, he left.

Kara locked the door quickly, then, for good measure, pulled a desk across the tile floor in front of it as well. Then…Well… What was there to do? She stood in the middle of the room panting, and realized just how hopeless her situation was. She was standing barefoot in the middle of a battleground, and she didn't know who was attacking or even what side she was supposed to be on at this point. S.H.I.E.L.D was making weapons of mass destruction to use against aliens, and maybe, she thought with a sickening feeling, one day against mutants. Against people like her. She shook some curls out of her face, and tried to rid herself of the thought. Her aunt worked for S.H.I.E.L.D, and even though she didn't know the woman very well, she was family. And hadn't her father worked for them too? So despite the sketchy things she'd seen today, there had to be something good about the organization. Even if Kara wasn't sure what it was yet. A blinking red light caught her eye, and she looked up. There was a little red camera in the corner of the room, and the lens was pointed directly at her. Unnerved, Kara stepped to the side. The camera followed her with a faint whirring sound. I wonder if they have these in every room… the thought made her queasy. That means they probably had footage of her and Steve breaking into the crates of weapons. She considered momentarily about how upset Natasha would be if she found out, and Then was struck by a sudden thought. If they had cameras in every room on the ship, then there had to be a way to monitor them. Fury obviously had no permanent office, so that meant he needed to be able to check the cameras from wherever he was at the time. 

“Maybe…” Kara whispered to herself, walking over to one of the big computers at the side of the room. It would be a relief to see what was happening on the rest of the ship. Maybe see where Natasha was, or Steve… gingerly, Kara pressed a button on the keypad, and the screen flickered to life. An empty gray search bar stretched across the dull blue screen, and Kara scowled. What am I doing, she thought hopelessly. I’m no brilliant computer hacker. There's no way I'll be able to access the cameras. She sighed and leaned the staff against the counter anyway, her fingers hovering over the keys. Slowly, she typed C-A-M-E-R-A-S and pressed enter. The screen flashed red, then returned to its original display. Kara bit her bottom lip in frustration. S-U-R-V-E-I-L-L-A-N-C-E the screen blipped again. Kara slammed her fists on the counter and immediately regretted it when pain flashed through her bandaged hands.

“Okay…” she calmed herself, “Okay. Okay. One more time, uh…” an idea came to her, and her heart jumped. She spoke aloud as she typed, “Mon-i-tors.” To her satisfaction, the blue screen disappeared, and in its place, a crystal clear image of the hallway right outside her room appeared. All the screens on every computer across the room lit up, showing what had to be most of the main hallways and rooms on the ship. Kara scanned the images one by one apprehensively, but her eyes stopped on one in particular. It was the hangar in which they’d been keeping Loki, but to her horror, it was not Loki trapped within the glass cylinder. Instead it was Thor, hitting the wall angrily with his hammer. Kara lifted her hands to her mouth in a silent scream as the glass container disappeared through the floor of the ship. 

Thor. Thor was gone. Was he dead? A man stepped into the frame, and Kara’s blood went cold. Loki was grinning. He once more disappeared from the screen, and Kara desperately looked from one chaos filled monitor to the next. Where was he? Where was he headed? She lifted the scepter defensively and took a step away from the wall of screens for a wider view. There! A flash of green as he moved down a hallway. A large group of black clad men ran past him, paying him no mind. So Kara had to assume that they were his people. So it was his comrades that had attacked the ship. 

Loki had disappeared again, no, there he was, stepping into the lab everyone had been in before the explosion. It was in complete disarray, but Loki appeared to be looking for something. Kara knew what he was searching for, and her heart seemed to stop for a second. He wanted his staff back, and the golden handle was clutched tightly in Kara’s hands. 

But he doesn’t know where I am, she tried to assure herself. There's no way. He doesn't know where to start looking, this ship is so huge. They’ll stop him before he can get to me. But just as she was thinking those words, Loki stepped easily through the destroyed room to the computers, seemingly unsurprised that his quarry wasn't in the lab. 

Kara watched him type with growing dread, almost positive she knew what he was doing. It didn’t seem to take him as long to discover the password, and Kara saw all the screens before him come to life. His head moved from side to side as he examined each one in turn.

The man’s back stiffened, and Kara felt her breath catch in her throat. She could clearly see the screen he was staring at and somehow she knew, he was watching her watch him as well. Slowly Loki's shoulder’s began to move up and down jerkily. Kara realized as he began to turn, that he was laughing. A large smile split his pale face as he stared straight into the camera. Though the monitor had no sound, there was no denying exactly what his lips were saying. 

“I see you.”

Kara stumbled backwards away from the computer. Loki was leaving the lab now, and she knew it would only be a matter of time before she saw him in the hallway leading to the door.

“Oh shit.” Kara breathed. “Okay, okay what do I do? What should I do?” She whipped her head around the room desperately. There was nowhere to hide, nowhere to go. She shivered as the cold infirmary air slid over her shoulders. Wait! She started, her head popping up. Cold air. How was this room cold, when all the others had been uncomfortably hot and stuffy? She lifted her face up and there, gleaming on the ceiling, was a large vent. She didn't think. She glanced back at screen one last time, only to see Loki striding confidently down the hallway outside the infirmary, a cocky grin on his lips. 

Kara clambered onto the gurney and reached for the vent. She was so close, she reached up with the bladed end of the golden rod and wrenched the vent open. It swung down heavily, causing Kara to lose her balance and she jumped back to the floor awkwardly before she fell off the gurney. There had to be a way to get higher, she could just grab the rim of the vent if she jumped, she just needed a couple more inches. 

A loud bang echoed through the room, and Kara jumped. 

“Little Romanoff, do you really think locks can stop me?” He hit the door again.

“Well they seem to slow you down, you cocky prick!” There was no use in pretending that she wasn't there. To her frustration, her words were met with derisive laughter. She chose to ignore him, instead looking for a way to make the gurney taller. Yes! There is was. A little orange lever by the back wheel. She yanked at it, just as another bang rocked the door. The desk she’d pulled in front of it trembled. Kara glanced at the screen to the hallway again before pulling herself back onto the gurney, which had sprung several more inches into the air.

Loki was backing up, lifting his black clad leg for another kick at the door, which was dented and beginning to cave. 

Her breath coming in tight wheezes, Kara threw the scepter up into the vent, then jumped to follow it, just managing the catch the end of the small space and worming her way the rest of the way in. Gasping, her hands screaming in protest, she turned herself around and reached the staff through the hole, straining to roll the gurney away from directly underneath the shaft, hoping to throw Loki off her trail. She’d just pulled the grate closed when another bang, followed by a slam alerted her that the Asgardian had made his way into the room.

Carefully, trying not to breathe, Kara pulled her hands away from the vent. She didn't dare move to grab the staff or turn herself around; just watched through the slits in the metal as Loki walked around the room. The duct was just barely large enough to crawl through, and so narrow that it would be impossible to turn back around without drawing Loki to her location.

“Hiding is pointless, Karaline.” It made her sick to hear him say her name, “That scepter belongs to me. I will always get it back.” Slowly, Loki bent and reached a pale, slender hand into the top of one of his boots, pulling out a twisted, sharp looking silver blade, almost as long as his calf. “Come out now, little Romanoff, and I'll spare your worthless life.” He smiled wryly, as if even he didn't believe his own words. There were another few moments of tense silence, in which Kara was sure Loki could hear her heart beat. “I admire your bravery, Girl. Though I find it exceedingly distasteful.” He disappeared from her view for merely a second before there was a scream of metal on metal, and a sharp silver blade broke through the duct in front of her, slicing through the thin metal as if it were butter. 

Kara screamed, flinging herself backwards. She thrashed herself around until she was facing the other direction and began to crawl as fast as she could. The knife punched through the vent again, this time aimed at her stomach. “No!” Kara threw herself against the far side of the conduit to avoid the blade as it stabbed at her over and over. Tears of terror blurred her vision as she forced herself forward. Once or twice, Kara glimpsed a flash of the man's face as he pulled his weapon back for another attack. He was grinning.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity but could only have been a few seconds, the attacks quit coming. She realized that she must have passed into another room out of his reach, and that thought was confirmed when she saw light streaming through another grate up ahead. Kara didn't stop though, not until she made several random turns and was sure that there was no way for Loki to know where she was. Hell. Even she didn't know where she was. 

At the next vent, Kara slowed, looking through it cautiously, the scepter gripped tightly in her stinging hands. The room below her was dark and silent. There was no way to know what was in it, but the fact that there was no active combat was good enough for her. Quietly, not wanting to draw any sort of attention from the hallway outside, Kara lifted the grate then lowered it so that it swung open. This room was not as tall as the infirmary, and was considerably smaller. After a quick scan for cameras, she lowered the staff and let it fall to the floor, wincing at the clattering it made. She followed it, dropping about 3 feet to the floor. Now what? She thought. There was no way the fight was over. She looked around. She was in what appeared to be a laundry room. There were piles of clothes and uniforms on the ground, clearly having been knocked off the shelves during the explosion. There was no way Kara would escape this room if someone found her; and, she examined the small space again, there was nowhere to hide either. She would be completely trapped, and it would only be a matter of time before Loki traced the vents to this room.

The hallway outside was dark, and she padded to the door softly, checking out the small square window for any sign of movement. It seemed clear. Hesitantly, she pressed the panel beside the door and it slid up with a hiss. She peaked her curly head around the frame one more time before stepping out into the dark corridor. The bladed end of the scepter gave off a soft blue glow in the dim, and Kara worried briefly that it might attract attention, but this part of the helicarrier seemed practically abandoned. She had no idea where to go, so she picked a direction that seemed like it was heading away from the infirmary, but, after crawling through the ducts for so far, Kara was completely disoriented. She walked for several minutes with no clue as to where she was going. Several times she stopped to try a door that seemed it would offer her a decent place to hide, but they were always locked, and Kara didn't have the inhuman strength that Loki did to simply kick one in. Once or twice she hit a dead end and had to retrace her steps. She was almost pleasantly surprised to find herself feeling bored; just how big was this ship? The feeling was fleeting however, and her heart seemed to fly into her throat when a tall, heavily muscled figure sprinted out from an adjacent hallway a mere twenty feet in front of her and skidded to a stop.

Kara froze, the golden scepter lifted with the bladed end aimed straight at the figure. Neither of them moved, until the figure turned slightly and his face came into view. Kara felt relief rush through her so quickly it hurt.

“Clint!” She called softly, lowering the weapon. “Uncle Clint!”

Clint straightened up and turned fully towards her. He took a threatening step forward, reaching back for his bow. Kara lifted her hands quickly, “Uncle Clint it's me! Kara!” Clint didn't stop moving forward, letting his hand fall away from his bow and instead drawing a knife from his belt. Kara's eyes went wide, and she slowly began to back away. “Uncle Clint? It’s me-“

He didn't seem to hear her, but instead charged her, the knife held high. Kara cried out. She swung the staff instinctively, allowing the bladed end to catch Clint across the face as he leapt at her. It was sliced deeply into his cheek before hitting the hand wielding the knife, sending the weapon flying out of grasp.

Clint hesitated, lifting a finger to the deep gouge on his face. Kara was breathless. “Oh- oh my God… Clint I- I am so sorry-“ then she saw his eyes, normally a grey blue in color, now gleamed with the fiery electric blue of a gas stove. Fury burned within them as he advanced on her, his arms raised, ready to fight. Kara became acutely aware of how large he was. For Christ’s sake, he could probably kill her with a punch if he tried. Blood dripped down his face, making him seem like a crazed monster. 

“Clint, please…” she felt herself begin to choke up, “Please, please… It’s me. It’s me, little Karaline? You taught me how to ride a bike, remember? And how to drive a stick shift? Please remember-it's me.” She screamed as he lunged for her again, and turned to run. She didn't make it very far before a strong hand grabbed her under her left arm and pulled her back. The staff fell from her bandage fingers as her legs shot out in front of her from the suddenness of her stop.

Clint’s large hand closed around her throat, and she felt real terror set in as her airway closed. She clawed at him with her free hand, but it was hopeless. She heard rapid footsteps and a cry of shock and outrage. “Clint! Stop!”

“Nat-” Kara gasped, “Nat!” There was a rush of air, and Kara was released. She took a few staggering steps away before looking back. Clint was lying face down on the tile floor, a damp splotch of red on the back of his head. Kara saw the offending weapon gripped in Natasha's hand. It was Steve’s crowbar.

“What the hell are you doing?!” Natasha bellowed. Kara was stunned.

“He- he attacked me..” She stammered. “Uncle Clint- he pulled a knife, but I hit him…I don’t- why did… Why did he do that? He tried to kill me!”

“He’s one of Loki's mind henchman. He's under Loki's control. Why were you out here? What-why do you have that?!” Natasha pointed to the staff on the ground. Kara picked it up quickly.

“I, Steve gave it to me, he told me not to let anyone take it. I locked myself in the infirmary, but Loki came-“

“Of of course he did." The woman spat. “Steve might as well have painted a target on your back giving that to you.” She held her hand out for the weapon, but Kara hesitated.

“What about Uncle Clint?”

Natasha huffed impatiently, “He’s not going anywhere. Come on, Kara. Give me the staff, we need to get it, and you, somewhere safe.”

Kara was just about to hand her aunt the scepter, when a stentorian bellow caused them both to flinch. The ground below them and began to vibrate.

“Jesus, what the hell is that?”

“Damn it. Banner, he must have shaken Thor!” Natasha whipped around. 

“Banner? That’s Bruce Banner? Did he- he hulked out?!”

“Not now, Kara! Get out of here! Two lefts and a right! Go to my quarters, lock the door!”

“Nat!”

“What?”

Kara swallowed. “Thor’s gone, Nat!” Natasha turned to her, a look of disbelief on her face.

“WHAT?”

“Loki did something, sent him from the ship, he fell through the floor!”

Natasha drew her gun with a curse. “This day keeps getting better…” She muttered, running down another hallway towards the growling. 

Kara was about to turn and run, following Natasha's instructions, when she glanced at Clint on the floor. Under Loki’s control or not, trying to kill her or not, he was still her family, and if the Hulk came this way, which, from the shaking of the floor seemed very likely, he would be completely helpless. Kara shoved the staff through Clint’s belt to free her hands, then grabbed the man under his arms and pulled. It was easier than she thought it would be. The floor was slick, and, she thought guiltily, the blood still oozing from his face it didn't hurt either. 

She was panting when she finally reached Natasha's chambers, and breathed a sigh of relief when she tried the handle and it opened. She dragged Clint through and slammed the door shut, sliding several thick deadbolts into place. The room was spacious, with a twin sized bed against the left wall. Grunting, Kara pulled Clint over to it. There was no way she'd be able to lift him into it, so she did the next best thing. Removing the mattress from the bed frame was a piece of cake after dealing with Clint’s dead weight. She dropped it to the floor next to his limp body and braced it with the empty frame to keep it from sliding as she rolled him onto it. Once he was settled, Kara took the opportunity to examine the space. There was a glint of silver on the dressing table by the bed, and Kara stood to see what it was. A pair of shiny, strong looking metal handcuffs were laid out along with a bottle of rubbing alcohol and a rag. Clearly Natasha had been cleaning them before being called a way for some task, and hadn't bothered to store them again.

Clint groaned and shifted on the mattress at her feet, at Kara's heart sped up. Tentatively, she lifted the cuffs by the middle chain connecting them, and they both fell open like hungry sharks. Kara swallowed, looking at Clint again. She had no idea if or when he would wake up, or what his mental state would be if he did. Grimacing, she knelt by him, the open cuffs in her hands. She leaned over him, peeling back and eyelid. A glossy, grey-blue eye stared sightlessly up at her, but she didn't know if that was a good enough indication of his clarity. She decided to play it safe rather than sorry, and she lifted one of Clint’s limp wrists, closing the cuff around it and tightening it with a click. “I’m sorry…” She mumbled, attaching the other end to the bed frame. She jumped when a frantic knocking on the door filled the silence.

“Karaline!” It was Steve’s voice! Kara leapt to her feet and rushed to the door.

“Steve! Is that you!”

“Yes!” Steve replied, the knocking on the door ceased, “Yes, thank goodness you are alright! Let me in!”

Kara was sliding back the last deadbolt when she froze, struck by a thought. 

“Karaline?”

Kara furrowed her brow. Since when did Steve call her Karaline? Granted she’d only known him for about a day, but still, not once had he called her by her full name. She wasn’t even sure he knew it. “Steve, how did you know I was here?”

There was a pause. “Your aunt told me.”

How could Natasha have told him, Kara had just left her, and she didn’t seem like she was in a position to tell anyone anything. “Oh, was she still with Clint?” She held her breath, looking over at the bed. Clint was breathing shallowly. She wanted so badly for the man at the door to be Steve, but the knot in her stomach was telling her something was wrong.

“Yes…Yes I think she was, he was hurt.” 

Kara did not answer. 

“Karaline? Kara?”

Kara took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Steve. But I’ma not letting you in.” There was a horrendous bang on the door and she jumped away from it.

“Karaline, open the door now!” There was a snarl at the end of the demand that made Kara wince. It was a sound that she was positive Steve would never make. She didn’t respond, and slowly the pounding on the door faded. “You are very much like your aunt, little Romanoff.” came a familiar, frustrated drawl. The voice was an awful mix between Steve’s and Loki’s. Kara raised the scepter to the doorway. “You’ve got a mind built for puzzles,” Loki continued, “But you are much, much to clever for your own good.”

There was a barely audible pop, and the door exploded inward, and Kara had to scramble out of the way of flying debris. She felt her heel hit the edge of the mattress on the floor and heard Clint shift, but she paid him no mind. She watched with mounting dread as Loki stepped out of the clearing dust, through the gaping hole where the door had been. He smiled when he turned to her, but there was no amusement in it. 

“Don’t come any closer!” Kara warned him, pointing the staff at his chest. “I’ll shoot!”

Loki hesitated, then chuckled, as if Kara had made a joke. He held out his hand, his long fingers stretched. “Give it to me.” He took a step forward, but paused when the bladed end began to glow an electric blue. The smile slid from his face. “Impossible. No mere human can control the power of the tesseract in it’s unadulterated form-“

Kara could feel the heat from the staff radiating through her bandaged hands, and now it was her turn to offer a small smile. “Oh, but didn’t you hear?” The blue light grew stronger, and began to emit a high whining sound. Now Loki looked furious. “I’m not quite human.” 

A blue bolt burst from the weapon, hitting Loki squarely in the chest and knocking him off of his feet with enough force to send him through the far wall. Kara wasn't expecting the kickback to be so severe, and she felt muscles tear as her arms were thrown back unexpectedly. 

Loki lay against the crushed rubble of the wall for a moment, stunned. He noticed through the thinning dust that the girl appeared to be just as shocked. He came to his senses first, growling with rage and climbing to his feet. Not quite human, he thought, she can work the Tesseract… He wanted to rip this girl apart. No. He wanted to do worse. His movement seemed to startle the girl into action, and she bolted through the hole in the wall that he had previously entered through. But there was no way Loki was leaving the helicarrier without his weapon, and now, he decided, without the girl, or at the very least, her blood on his hands.

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxXxxxxX

Kara, her whole body throbbing, regained her balance, the shock of what she had just done still coursing through her. She had just shot Loki in the chest with his own weapon. Was he dead? She looked to where he had crashed through the wall, and saw him shift. Then the Asgardian let out a bellow of anger, forcing Kara into action. She dashed to the exit. The cold floor was slick with Clint’s blood, and she slipped, landing on her side with a thud that knocked the breath out of her and her cracked hard against the ground. She rolled onto her stomach, trying to breathe and crawl back to her feet at the same time. The smell of the blood made her gag, and she staggered forward on weak legs, clutching the scepter with one hand and her ribs with the other. Dimly, she heard the wet crunch of booted feet on blood soaked debris and tried to move faster, leaning heavily against the wall. She turned a corner, knowing it was hopeless. Her white teeshirt, now soaked with deep red, left a smeary trail along the corridor. 

A hand grabbed her side, turning her around almost gently. Kara couldn’t think straight and her vision was going blurry. She tightened her grip on the staff as if it was the only thing keeping her conscious. Loki tugged at the weapon, pulling it easily from the girl’s grasp. 

“No!” She protested weakly, reaching for it. Loki stepped away from her, letting her slide to the floor, her head lolling. He lifted the staff, prepared to skewer the girl on the end of it, or maybe fire it directly into her chest. That would definitely send a message to her S.H.I.E.L.D comrades, as well as leave quite the mess for her dear aunt to clean up. A grin was spreading across his face as the end of the golden rod began to glow and hum, when the girl looked up once more, her electric blue eyes glossy and unfocused. “Please…” She breathed, so softly that Loki barely heard her. She lifted a hand to defend herself, her fingers brushing his own for barely a moment, and Loki felt his breath catch as he was thrust backwards in time for the briefest of seconds. The memory struck him so hard and fast that he had to take a step back, staring at the girl in disbelief. The anger came back quickly, he felt it surge in him, filling the spaces that pity and shame had created just a moment before. 

“Get up!” he barked. “Stupid human, look at me when I kill you!” he grabbed Kara under the arms and pulled her to her feet with ease, pressing her against the wall, willing her to stay upright. “Fight me!” he shouted into her face, “Fight like you fought mere hours ago!” 

But Kara did not fight. A spark seemed to have flown through her when she touched Loki’s skin, she’d seen, something. She didn’t know what, or who, or how, but she had. And she knew he’d seen something too. “Who was she?” She asked groggily, a zoned out kind of smile playing across her bloody lips. Loki snarled. “What, can’t you kill me in cold blood? Like you did to her-“ Loki shook her violently.

“You know nothing!” he screamed furiously. Specks of spit hit Kara’s face, and she flinched.

“Kara?!” Both Loki and Kara turned their heads sharply, the movement sent bolts of pain down the girl’s spine and shooting into her head. Standing at the end of the corridor, blood dripping from a cut on his brow, was Steve. “Loki- You let her go!” The sound of his voice brought Kara back to clarity so quickly that she gasped, the fogginess in her head receding. Not knowing what she had done before, but desperate to make Loki let go of her so she could rush to Steve, Kara slapped her hand over Loki’s bare wrist and squeezed, and she felt the world drop away from her. 

The hall around Loki disintegrated, the same way it had when the girl had touched him before, but unlike last time, he did not recognize the new environment, and it took him a second to get his bearings. He was staring through his own eyes, and he was staring down into the blue eyes of a, no, of the, girl. Kara. 

At first, he thought he was killing her. But as awareness spread through the rest of his body, he realized that his hand was on her hip, and that she was completely bare, resting against a soft green blanket. In horror, he realized he was as well, and that there was nothing he could to to stop the downward ghost of his hand, or his intense gaze at the girl’s face. He felt his body move forward, as if in a dream, and watched her eyes shut. There was the beginning of a sigh- And the world came back as heavily as a bag of bricks. 

Kara felt a rush, and was slammed back into the present. She was disoriented, but from Steve’s form still momentarily motionless at the end of the hall, she knew it couldn’t have lasted for more than a second. She wrenched her hand off of Loki’s wrist as quickly as if it had burned her, but couldn’t stop staring into his eyes, which, like hers, were full of horror and disgust. Kara felt the terrified scream begin to build in her throat. There was only one possible way a scenario like that could ever come to pass, and the thought was petrifying. Surely even Loki could never stoop that low-

“STEVE!” She felt it explode from her, drawing all of her breath. Steve was sprinting for her, but Loki, regaining his composure, kicked Kara’s feet out from under her to prevent her going anywhere, lifted the weapon in a fluid, practiced movement, and shot a bolt of blue light that caught the man in his shoulder, sending him off his feet. Steve was back on his feet in an instant, and Kara tried to climb to her own, but without pausing, Loki knelt next to her, grabbing one of her arms and using it to hoist her over his shoulder as if she weighed no more than a pillow.

Kara thrashed, clawing at Loki’s armored back and kicking at his chest with her feet. She thought of once again trying to touch any bare skin, but after what they had both seen last time,she didn’t dare, in case it gave him any ideas. Steve was trying to follow, and suddenly, Kara understood just why Loki had grabbed her. Steve couldn’t risk throwing his shield, not with the odds of hitting Kara instead were high. 

“Let go of her!” The blond man boomed. He was closing in. Kara reached for him, trying to wriggle for a spare inch or two, but Loki’s arms were as unyielding as iron. She felt a rush of air across her back, and realized that he must have opened a door to the outside of the ship. Wind whipped around her face, burning her eyes. She could barely see the hall through her flying hair, but knew that Steve had to be close from his shouts.

“Steve!” She reached for all she was worth, and felt Loki step out of the ship and into open air. Warm fingertips brushed her own for a moment before she fell away with a scream.

“Kara!”

“Shut up or I will drop you.” Loki snapped as the pair fell through the air. “And cease your incessant movement.” The girl stilled and quieted almost instantly, but he could feel her heart pounding rapidly, and he didn’t think she would be able to breath until after the fall, the air was too thin. He kept a firm grip on her legs as they fell, keeping his own bent slightly for the impact that he knew was coming. There- below him. The dark shadow of a stolen S.H.I.E.L.D quinjet. It listed heavily when he hit it, but righted itself quickly enough. A door on the roof opened with a screech of metal, and Loki swung himself inside. The door closed immediately, and as soon as he heard the click of the pressurizer resealing, he dropped the girl in a heap of bloodstained clothing and tangled curls. She was breathing heavily, and lifted a shaking hand to her cover her face.

Loki ignored her for the time being, instead turning to bark at the pilot. “How long to Stark Tower?”

“Six hours, sir.” Came the monotone reply, and Loki nodded. 

“Very good.” He looked back when the girl groaned. The two henchmen in the back had their guns trained on her as she forced herself into a sitting position, rubbing her head. She met his eyes, and looked away quickly. 

“Too much of a coward to just kill me yourself?” She rasped, spitting a mouthful of blood to the floor. “Had to bring me back here and have your cronies do it for you?”

Loki did not smile at her cheek. “Oh believe me, little one. Killing you is still on the agenda. Just not quite yet. Guards. Restrain her. Carefully.” he clarified as the men made to drag her to her feet. Instead, they lifted her gently into a standing position and guided her to sit in a seat across the jet from the Asgardian. Loki allowed a small smile to cross his face. “My my. How our roles seemed to have switched.”

Kara winced as the guards closed heavy manacles around her wrists, remembering what she had seen. “I swear to God, if you even think about touching me-“ She was cut off by Loki’s low chuckle.

“You misread my intentions. The need to force oneself on a prisoner is such a-“ He wave a hand airily. “Such a human urge.” Kara tried to hide her breath of relief. “Besides,” he flashed a cocky grin, “I’ve never found it necessary to have to force myself on anyone.”

This made Kara gag. “Then you’ve taken some prisoners with incredibly low standards.”

“If you wish.” He made a show of trailing her body with his eyes, and Kara had to force herself not to shudder. It was taking all of his energy to keep his temper under control. He wanted to force answers out of her. What had he seen. How did she force him to relive a memory so clearly, and what had she forced him to see next? So clearly not a memory, and, he thought hard, it wasn’t some sort of fantasy either. Not his, and from the fear and disgust he’d seen on her face, not hers either. And they had both seen it… He tried to recall as many details about it as he could, trying to work out what it could have been, but the only thing he could clearly remember was her eyes. Bright, shockingly blue. The same color, he realized with a jolt, as the Tesseract. The same color that all the eyes of his new henchman had taken on. He looked into the face of one of the guards. His eyes were the same shade. Could that be it? The girl in the vision, or whatever it had been, was she under his control? If so, under what circumstance would that be necessary? He couldn’t think of one. The girl shifted uncomfortably, and Loki became aware that he had been staring at a spot directly over her head. He glanced down into her face, and groaned inwardly. Her eyes were a galvanizing blue. The same shade as the light pulsating intermittently from the golden rod. How could he have forgotten? Now he was back at square one. He sat, resting an an ankle over his knee and steepled his fingers under his chin. He cocked his head, putting on an air of indifference. “What did you do, back on the ship?” he asked, as if he were asking her favorite drink. 

Kara glared at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Don’t play dumb, Little Romanoff. You should know by now that it doesn’t work on me.” 

Kara hated his voice, the chummy, but too obviously a fake friendly tone. As if they’d known each other for years. “Don’t call me that.” She snapped. “My name isn’t Romanoff.”

This seemed to be news to Loki, and he frowned. Then nodded. “Oh yes, how could I have forgotten. Stockholm, isn’t it? After your grandmother?” He smiled at Kara’s look of confusion. “Barton told me. Your beloved uncle. And this whole time I’ve been misnaming you.” He clicked his tongue. “You should have said something. This is really quite embarrassing.” 

Kara scowled. “I had other things on my mind.” 

“Of course. Now,” He leaned forward seriously. “What did you do on the Helicarrier.”

“Why should I tell you?” Kara asked, gambling. 

Loki closed his eyes, breathing in through his nose. When he opened them, all pretense of friendliness was gone. Without taking his eyes off of Kara’s, he spoke to the nearest guard. “You there, whatever your name is, Lapsley- unholster your sidearm.” The man did as he was told, expressionlessly. “Shoot Charleston.” The guard turned to the one next to him wordlessly. There was a loud pop and a red spray on the wall. Kara cried out as a crimson stain began to spread across the mans chest, and he fell without a sound, making no effort to save himself. 

“No! Wait-“

“Now, put the gun into your mouth and when I reach one, pull the trigger. Three.”

“No, don’t!”

“Two.”

“I don’t know! I don’t know how I did it!” 

Loki stopped counting and raised a quizzical eyebrow at her. Clearly he didn’t believe her. 

“Please, I really don’t!” Kara pleaded, tears began to pour down her face, leaving trails in the blood that was streaked across her cheeks. “I have no idea what’s going on! I was just in Germany on a school trip and then I was on a S.H.I.E.L.D aircraft learning that everything about my life was a lie! And that I was a mutant but not fully and that I could turn into some horrible monster at any second, and now I think I’m concussed because I’m seeing crazy things and please! He’s dying let me help him!” she was somehow able to choke it out in one breath, staring at the man on the floor. Loki stared at her for a second, trying to decide if she was telling him the truth. The anguish on her face convinced him, and he sighed. 

“Lapsley, put your weapon away. Unchain her.” 

Kara’s eyes shot up in disbelief. What? This had to be some trick… But no, the guard, Lapsley, took a key from his pocket and removed the manacles from her wrists. She met Loki’s eyes, challenging him to attack. 

“You have three minutes before they go back on.” Was all he said. 

Kara didn’t need any further invitation. She fell to her knees beside the man, speaking softly to him. 

Loki watched with hooded eyes as the girl struggled to remove the guards dark shirt. He saw her hand pause at his belt, hovering over the weapons holster that housed his side arm, but her desire to save the guard’s life seemed to overpower the urge to take the weapon and start shooting. He turned his attention to the window. He needed to dispose of her. S.H.I.E.L.D would come for her, he was sure, and at the moment she was a risk. Or, he looked back at her. She had pulled her dark curls back into bun of some sort, but some still clung to her face. Was she a risk, or an asset? The bowman had told him many things, most of which Loki had filed away as useless or pointless information, but now, he thought, maybe it wasn’t so useless after all. In fact, he probably knew more about the girl herself than she did. She could use the Tesseract. She could, apparently, glimpse into the past, and, did he dare to think it? Possibly the future as well.

She would never be an accomplice. Her sense of justice was, in Loki’s opinion, far too skewed for that. But if she knew the truth about S.H.I.E.LD, about her family, he doubted she would feel inclined to help them in any way. Possibly, she would opt to sit the battle out. He could lie, promise to return her to her home once all was over, and once he had defeated Earth’s armies, hand her off to the Chitauri. The idea sent a small stirring of excitement through him. She would be more than enough to keep their leader entertained, and off of Loki’s back while he was busy ruling the world. A mortal girl who could use the power of the Tesseract, and, as an added bonus, show brief predictions of the future. That’s how he would sell the idea to the Chitauri anyway. He felt the deep ache in his bones ease a bit at this new plan. He would offer Thanos a new plaything, someone new for him to torture into submission. Loki knew all too well the pains that Thanos could inflict, and he would be pleased to pass the torch. Barton had been a small price to pay, he decided, for the goldmine that had fallen into his grasp instead.


	7. The Final Battle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! let me know if there are any typos! enjoy!

Natasha, Steve, and Tony sat in the briefing room, spaced far away from each other. Natasha was grinding her teeth, clenching and unclenching her fists below the table. The other two just looked dazed. Tony was glaring straight ahead, and Steve was staring aimlessly into his lap, as if watching images that only he could see. No one looked up when the door slid open, and Director Fury strode in. Like the rest of them, he looked haggard, and much worse for wear. He walked to the end of the table and stood there, surveying the trio without speaking.

"I don't know what to tell you." He said finally. "We're dead in the air up here." He met Tony's eyes, then each of them in turn. "Not to mention the casualties suffered by our crew, our communications are down. We no longer have a location on the cube, Banner, Thor, I got nothing for you." No one answered, and his words hung heavily in the tense silence. "So I sincerely hope at least one of you has something for me."

Tony rolled his shoulders uncomfortably. "Loki took the kid," he started. His voice was monotone, but the look on his face stated clearly that this bothered him more than a little.

"What happened."

All eyes turned to Steve, who set his jaw. "It's my fault." He massaged his forehead with a hand. "I gave her the staff. Loki's staff. I should have known he'd go for it."

Fury nodded, making notes on a sheet of paper. "Where was this?"

"I left her in the infirmary." This made Fury look up. He raised an eyebrow.

"The infirmary?"

"Yes sir. Is there a problem?"

"Have you seen the infirmary, Rogers?" Fury's voice was serious, and Steve felt a knot form in his stomach.

"I haven't, sir."

"The door was kicked in, and there are twenty-nine puncture wounds in the ventilation shaft on the ceiling." Fury shook his head. "Our camera monitoring systems are down, so up until now, we had no idea what the reason behind the damage could have been."

"So Loki went there first, and Kara escaped through the vents…" Steve pressed his head into his palms in frustration. "Christ, she must have been so scared-"

"Smart kid though." Tony was watching Natasha's face. "Someone taught her something, at least."

Fury ignored the man's comments, his voice rising. "Does anyone know if Loki really took her, because if we have a civilian bleeding out in a duct somewhere I swear to-"

"No, I ran into her in the starboard hall after an altercation with Agent Barton." Natasha spoke for the first time.

"Agent Barton was found handcuffed to the bed frame in your quarters, Agent Romanoff." Fury braced himself for the snide comment that was sure to come from Tony, but to his surprise, the man didn't even pull a face.

Natasha still didn't look up, "Yes sir. I told her to go there. It is my belief that she took Barton there to keep him safe."

"I expect that you've seen the condition of your lodgings."

"Yes sir," the redhead repeated. "I have."

"And what happened after that?"

Now it was Steve's turn to speak again. He seemed to have regained his composure slightly, and his voice was determined when he began. "That's when I saw her again. Stark and I heard the explosion from a few hallways over. We both would have gone, but Stark was engaged in combat."

"Before you ask him why he left, I told him to." Tony cut in, seeing Fury open his mouth to speak. "I knew I could handle it." The director closed his mouth slowly, narrowing his eyes at Tony.

"Continue." He said coldly.

"I found Loki around the corner from Agent Romanoff's room. He was-" Steve stopped, remembering the bizarre scene he had witnessed. Loki yelling at the girl to fight him, and how they'd both frozen for a second when she'd touched him. He swallowed, before continuing slowly, "I attempted a rescue, but was incapacitated briefly by a shot to the arm." He saw Fury's eyes shift to the singed portion of his uniform on his shoulder. He'd been lucky. If Loki's shot had been just an inch further to the right, it could have gone through his uncovered neck.

Fury scratched at his paper again. "And it was in that time that he made his escape? You saw him take Stockholm?"

"He was using her as a shield, I couldn't risk hitting her. Sir."

The Director sighed, rubbing his temple with a large hand. He closed his uncovered eye for a few seconds, preparing himself for the verbal assault he knew he was about to endure. "Stockholm will be reported as a civilian casualty. You all will have to make official reports, of course. Now-"

"A civilian casualty?!" The protest was, of course, Natasha's. "Sir, she could still be alive! We need-"

"What we need to do, Agent Romanoff," Fury cut her off loudly, "Is recuperate. Tally our losses, and start to recover lost ground. Regardless of your family connections with Stockholm, you are well aware of the guidelines. Can you give me any proof, any at all, that your niece is still alive?"

"She left the ship alive, didn't she?" Steve offered.

"As a human shield. You said so yourself, Rogers. Right now, without any evidence to the contrary, we have to assume that the second she served her purpose to him in that regard, she was disposed of."

"Sir, at the very least, she's an A.H.E," Natasha argued. "Even you have to agree-"

"She was not S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury cut her off. "Present me with any proof that she isn't already dead, and I will reconsider." His voice grew quieter. "Until then, I am sorry for your loss." He looked around the table, gathering his papers. "I have other things to attend to. Write up your reports." With that, he left.

Steve looked from Natasha to Tony, frustration and helplessness in his eyes. "What's an A.H.E?" he asked tentatively. "And how is it better than a Civilian Casualty?"

"Agent in Hostile Environs." Tony sighed and stood up carefully, minding his injuries. "Or to be more exact, and Agent believed to be in Hostile Environs, but they opted for a shorter acronym. It's used to categorize the importance of agents who's whereabouts are unknown, or who went missing under suspicious circumstances."

"Why wouldn't finding those agents be top priority?"

"Because most of the time, they're either AWOL, or already dead." Natasha growled. "So finding agents that we know for a fact are in immediate danger ranks above that. But it's still better than a Civilian Casualty." She made the words sound like a curse.

Steve felt he already knew the answer, but he forced himself to ask anyway. "Where does a Civilian Casualty rank?"

"At the very bottom." The woman spat. "No resources from S.H.I.E.L.D involved in body recovery. Not until they have the time."

"So what's the plan? How do we get her back?"

Natasha took a deep breath, visibly trying to calm herself. When she spoke, she had the familiar hard look on her face. "You heard the Director. Until we can prove that she's not dead, we have to focus our energy elsewhere."

"He won't kill her, Natasha." Tony broke in, "I think you know that."

"What are you talking about, Stark?" Natasha's voice was low and threatening.

Tony shrugged. "He knows she's your niece. So keeping her alive gives him leverage, yeah? I've met people like Loki before-"

"You've met gods in your line of work?"

Tony ignored the woman's snide comment. "Forget the god part, okay?" He lifted his hands, palm up. "Power hungry, that's all he is. So if he has power over the kid, he has power over you. It's the same reason kidnappers who want money, let the parents know that their child is still alive. The have a bargaining chip. A card to play. But only while the kid is still breathing, you see?"

"Loki isn't some run of the mill kidnapper though." Steve began, "He's in it to control the world. What use is Kara to him alive, if he knows he can get a reaction out of Natasha either way?"

"He's already getting a reaction out of you though." Tony turned his steely eyes to the woman, and she looked away. "You want to find her because she's your niece, obviously. But why does it seem to me that you gave up rather easily when talking to Fury? Natasha Romanoff, backing away from an argument? Unless of course, all the arguing was just for show. Are you sure you wouldn't rather find Kara already dead?"

Natasha stood angrily, sending her chair skidding across the floor. "Stop trying to read me. I've spent my whole life fooling men like you into thinking they know what's in my head."

"Classic deflection." Tony lifted an eyebrow. "So you are more worried that she's alive. No-" He corrected himself. "You know she's alive. Why didn't you say something to Fury?"

"Stark, drop it." Steve warned. Tony ignored him.

"What scared you so bad that you would prefer your own niece to be dead, than remain as Loki's hostage?" Tony leaned lazily against the wall, as if he was merely asking about the weather. "What can Loki possibly do to her that's worse than death?"

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Natasha's eyes bored into Tony's. "You just keep talking, saying stupid, worthless words in the hopes that I'll crack and give something away. But let me tell you something, Stark. You don't know me. You don't know my family. You don't know anything. So yes. Kara is alive, and I am going to get her back. That is it."

A smile flashed across Tony's face. He held his hands up in surrender. "Peace." He said. "I'm done. I didn't mean any harm, of course." Natasha blinked, the only indication of her shock. "Oh come on," Tony rolled his eyes. "I was just trying to get a rise out of you. See how willing you were to break S.H.I.E.L.D guidelines to get the girl back. Pretty open to the idea, apparently." Steve's mouth fell open, and Natasha raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry," Tony continued. "I'm always game to add more chaos to chaos as well." He rolled his shoulders, and his expression became somber once more. "Besides. I think we can all name a few things worse than death."

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Clint opened his eyes slowly, then coughed. He tried to lift a hand to wipe his mouth, but found that he could not move his arms. He strained against his restraints, grunting. Memories and thoughts were pouring into his brain, a brain that had not been his own for what seemed like a hundred years. He felt like he was waking up after a nightmare that he couldn't control, except deep down, he knew that the nightmare had been real.

"Clint-" The voice calmed him instantly. "You're gonna be alright."

Clint lifted his head and saw Natasha sitting by his feet. When she saw him calm down, she returned her gaze to the window.

"You know that?" He muttered, there was a throbbing in the back of his head, and he ached to massage it away. "I gotta-" Another memory hit him, and he groaned. "I gotta go in though, gotta flush him out."

Natasha shook her head. "We don't have that long. It's gonna take some time." She reached down and unclasped the bindings on his wrists. He sat up, rubbing the life back into his numb hands.

"Why am I back? How did you get him out?"

"Cognitive recalibration." Clint arched a brow, and Natasha smiled lightly. "I hit you really hard in the head."

The man lifted a hand to the sore spot at the base of his skull as Natasha undid the restraints on his feet. "Tasha, how many agents?" His voice was low, solemn.

"Don't." Natasha silenced him. "Don't do that to yourself. This is Loki. This is monsters and magic and nothing we were ever trained for."

"Loki. He got away?"

"Yeah. I don't suppose you know where?"

Clint sighed. "I didn't need to know. I just did what he told me. He'll make his play soon though. Today."

Natasha nodded. "I know. We've got to stop him."

"Well." Clint laughed wryly. "If I put an arrow in his eye socket, I'm sure that will do the trick." Natasha smirked.

"Now you sound like you."

Clint moved next to her, sliding an arm around her shoulder. "But you don't." The woman met his eyes sadly. "You're a spy. Not a soldier. But now you want to walk into battle? Why? What did Loki do to you?"

Natasha turned her gaze out the window again. "It's nothing, it's just-"

"Natasha,"

"I've been compromised." The woman finished. "I've got red on my ledger. I'd like to wipe it out."

"What do you mean?"

"He threatened to tell Kara. Tell her everything. About Sonja, about Alexei. Everything." She buried her face in her hands. Clint pushed a lock of hair behind her ear gently, "She'll hate me." She continued, devastated.

"Or we could tell her first."

"What?"

"We can tell her together. Get her to understand. She's a smart kid. Mature. It might take some time, but I'm sure she'll understand eventually."

Natasha squeezed her eyes shut. "It's too late for that, Clint."

"No it isn't. We can go to her. Now."

"That's not what I mean," She stared into Clint's eyes. "Do you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"She was here. Clint, you saw her. She was here on the ship."

It took the man a second to process what Natasha had said, and he stared at her blankly for a second. "She was…here. Kara…" saying her name sent a wave of horror through him. Memories landed in his brain like hot rocks. "Oh god."

Natasha was silent.

"I don't understand- why? Why was she here? I thought she was in New Mexico with her grandmother-"

"She was in Stuttgart. It was a-" Natasha swallowed. "A horrible, coincidence. But Loki recognized her. She tried to fight but," Her voice cracked. "I should have left her there. But she was so hurt, and they would have wiped her memory. I thought…I thought she'd be safer here." A single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. "Loki took her. She's gone, Clint. Kara's gone. He's going to tell her everything and she will hate me. And once Loki is sure that she hates me, he'll kill her. He's going to make sure she dies feeling completely alone and betrayed."

"We did what we had to do." Clint said stiffly, but he was shaking. "Sonja's death was, well it was inevitable. Imagine where she'd be if we hadn't done what we did."

"I killed her mother! My brother's wife!"

"You didn't have a choice!"

"Kara was never the same after that. The memory suppression could only repair so much of the damage. She still dreams about it, about Russia. She speaks Russian in her sleep, Babushka tells me. God-" Natasha dragged her palms down her face. "She looks so much like her mother. So much. You know what some people say? They say Alexei stepped in front of that car on purpose. That the man got tried as a drunk driver so that it wouldn't look like a S.H.I.E.L.D agent killed himself. Kara looks just like Sonja and Alexei couldn't take it, so he killed himself."

"You don't know that!" Clint protested. "You don't know that. Alexei wouldn't leave Kara, or you, like that. Never on purpose."

Natasha looked at Clint with bloodshot, teary eyes. He was the only person she would ever cry in front of, because he would never tell. "Kara is all I have left, Clint. You and Kara. You're all I have, and Loki has hurt both of you. I can't let him get away with that."

"We won't." Clint pulled her to him assuringly. "We won't."

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Steve stood in the hallway where he'd witnessed Loki and Kara's battle. The blood had been wiped away meticulously, but the memory was branded so clearly in his mind that he was positive where everything had taken place. He was so lost in thought that he didn't hear Tony's approach, and startled when the man spoke.

"Staring at the wall wont bring her back you know."

"What?"

"You were zoned. What were you seeing?" Tony leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. He shrugged at Steve's narrowed eyes. "Why does everyone assume I'm always being sarcastic? No, don't answer that." Steve closed his mouth. "I'm being serious." Tony assured the blond. "Believe it or not, I can generally tell when people are hiding something. I'm empathetic like that." Steve rolled his eyes but Tony continued, ignoring him. "You saw something. You started to say it earlier, but you stopped yourself. I'm curious."

Steve started to deny it, but hesitated. He ran a hand through his hair in defeat and turned to face the hallway again. "I didn't want to upset Natasha."

"Understandable." Tony nodded. "So what's the deal?"

"He-" Steve took a deep breath. "I could hear him yelling from back by Natasha's room. He was yelling at her to fight. To fight him." He shook his head in confusion, "And I heard her say something as I was coming around the corner here," He pointed to where the hallway turned sharply, near to where Tony was. "And then he started screaming. Like a maniac."

"What was he saying?"

Steve met Tony's eyes. "He said she knew nothing. I don't know what he was talking about, but I think, I think she did." He moved further into the hallway, completely entranced by the reenactment he was seeing in his head. His words began to come faster, as if he was desperate to confide in Tony what he'd seen. "He was here." He stood, motioning at the ground, "And she was here, with her back to the wall. And he was holding her shoulders-" He trailed off, reaching for the wall, tracing his fingers down it. The cleaners had gotten almost everything, but a few long, curly brown hairs clung to the chipping paint. Steve swallowed the newly discovered lump in his throat, turning back to Tony, who was watching him with interest. "She did something, Tony. I'm sure of it."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she did something. Deliberately. I watched her do it. She grabbed him, and he reacted. Violently."

"I mean, I suppose that could make sense, especially depending on where she grabbed him, if you know what I-"

"His wrist, Stark. She grabbed his wrist, and they both froze…" Steve's own movements slowed, as if, if he was still enough, he could see what had really happened. "It was…Bizarre. And then she started screaming, and Loki shot me."

Tony ran his tongue over his top teeth, thinking. "How close were you, if they were positioned where you're standing now?"

"Maybe half a foot closer then where you're at. But I know what I saw. Stark," He lowered his voice "What if she mutated?"

"Well let's not jump to extremes," Tony shoved his hands in his pockets. "I mean it could have been anything, right? We really don't know anything about Loki. What if he can speak into people's minds? What if he said something to her?"

"NO!" It was worse than a shout, and Tony shut his mouth quickly. Steve was trembling. "I said I know what I saw. If Loki had telepathic powers, don't you think he would have used them before now? And think about it. When we were talking about the conditions in which a carrier mutates, Kara was about to die-"

"Rogers, I know you want to believe she has a fighting chance against him right now-"

"It wasn't just that." Steve's voice was quieter now. "When I pursued Loki after he shot me, when he jumped from the ship… I tried to catch her, tried to grab her hand. I almost did."

"Its not your fault she's gone, Steve-"

"You don't understand," Steve interrupted, "I almost had her. Our fingers touched- and I saw something. For just a second."

Tony blinked. "You…saw something?" Steve nodded.

"And I think Loki did too, when Kara touched him. That would explain both of their reactions."

"What did you see? When you touched her hand?"

Steve looked up into Tony's face, clearly struggling with his answer. "You." He said. "I saw you, Stark. You were dead."

There was a silence that stretched for several minutes. Neither of them moved, and Steve did not lower his gaze. Finally, Tony coughed and shuffled his feet.

"Well." He cleared his throat again. "Well. I suppose that's to be expected in this field of work. I didn't happen to look, well, old, did I?"

Steve's expression did not waver.

"Ah." Tony sniffed, careful not to show any emotion. "I can see why you wouldn't mention this to Fury. Was that it? I wasn't being covered in rose petals and buried in the tropics by attractive women?" He forced a sly smile.

"You want to know?"

"Can't see how the information could hurt, really." Tony shrugged nonchalantly.

"You were laying in the street. In your suit. And you weren't breathing. That's all I saw. But now you know why we have to get Kara back as quickly as possible."

"What, you think she's, she's showing the future, or something? Like a prophet?" Tony and Steve began to head back down the hallway solemnly.

"I don't know what to think." Steve said honestly, "But if it's true, how long do you want information like that in Loki's hands?"

"You've got a point." Tony raised his eyebrows, then frowned, "But to be fair, I wouldn't like to see that information in S.H.I.E.L.D.'s hands either."

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Natasha and Clint stepped out of the cell they'd been talking in and were immediately swooped upon by Steve and Tony.

"Well? Did our birdie sing?" Tony asked pleasantly, giving Clint the once over. Clint glared at him

"He doesn't know where Loki's keeping the cube." Natasha responded, refusing to react to Tony's taunt. "Why so eager to blast off all of a sudden?"

"Got some new intel. Now it's, I guess you could say, personal." Tony dismissed the question with a wave of his hand.

"Care to share?" Clint inquired stonily.

"Not really. Alright team," The man clapped his hands, bending at the hips as if he was on a football field trying to encourage a huddle. "Brainstorming time. Where would an egomaniac go to get an audience?"

"I think you're the best one to ask about that, Stark." Clint responded indifferently, examining the bruises on his knuckles. Tony raised his brows at the man, straightening up.

"Apparently Natasha failed to enlighten you." He said with a smirk, "We're all friends now, striving for a common goal." He patted Steve on the shoulder, "Right, buddy?"

"Can we get back to the topic of importance, please?" Natasha grimaced. "Loki knows he has to take us out to win, right?"

"Right." Steve nodded in confirmation. "And he wants to be seen doing it. Make a performance of it."

Tony rubbed his palms together, "And this is opening night. The real deal. Loki is full tilt diva. He wants flowers, he wants parades, he wants monuments built in the sky with his name plastered across the-" His face went deadpan and he stopped suddenly. "Sonofabitch."

Natasha had zoned him out, concentrating on her own thoughts, but now she snapped back to attention. "What is it?"

Tony sighed in exasperation and disgust. "I know exactly where he is. 58th and Broadway, near Columbus Circle."

"Does that mean anything to anyone?" Clint asked impatiently, but Natasha had recognized the address immediately.

"Stark Tower, of course!" She began to stride away down a hall and the others followed her at a quick pace. "Clint!" She called, pulling open a door to reveal a long, narrow stairway. She headed down it determinedly.

"Right behind you,"

"Ready for a drive?" She asked as the four of them piled out of the stairway into the cool air of the Helicarrier hangar.

"Always. What am I driving?"

With a venomous smile, the redhead pointed to the large quinjet closest to the exit. "That."

Steve flicked his eyes to Clint doubtfully. "You can drive one of those?"

Clint nodded, then shrugged. "I mean. Technically. I've never crashed in the simulations." There was a snort of laughter from the direction of Tony.

"Right…" Steve rolled his shoulders. "Alright then. Everyone suit up and be back here in 10."

"Make that 5." Natasha corrected. The energy rolling off her was almost tangible. She looked up into Steve's eyes. "We don't want to dally." She said with a smirk. "We've got a god to stop."

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Those six hours on the quinjet were the worst of Kara's life. Loki had stayed true to his three minute rule, and she had been dragged away from the bleeding guard on the floor and re-shackled to her seat. A half hour later, she saw Charleston take in one last shaky breath, and die. She'd had to look away from him then, unwilling to stare into his unseeing glossy eyes, which had faded back into a dark brown once he passed. Somehow worse than that though, was that after several hours, she began to smell herself. The blood in her hair and on her shirt had dried brown, occasionally floating off her like morbid snowflakes. The stench of the gore was making her nauseous, and she could tell that it was beginning to bother Loki as well. That fact made her feel a little better, until she remembered that she was hundreds of feet above the ground, and that Loki could chuck her out of the QuinJet as easily as breathe.

Loki, was, in fact, debating throwing the girl overboard. He wrinkled his nose in disgust and turned to the pilot. "How long until we land?"

"Seven minutes, sir."

"Excellent." He looked up and saw the girl smirking at him.

"A penny for your thoughts?" She asked innocently, expecting the answer she got.

"You reek." Loki replied lazily.

Kara shrugged, "I expect Asgardian blood smells like roses then?"

"Of course not, but I don't smell like I bathed in it." The man bit back with a sneer.

"And who's fault is that? Certainly not the man who attacked the Helicarrier-"

"The blood I shed is not the blood that covers you. I did not harm your Agent Barton. You did." He smothered a triumphant smirk at the girl's silence.

"Maybe you should have left me on the ship." She said finally.

Loki smiled sarcastically. "Maybe," He mocked her tone, "I should drown you. That would clean you up and silence you."

"Maybe you should. Except you wont," Kara challenged, "Because there's a reason you've kept me alive this long."

Loki squinted his eyes in amusement, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees, giving Kara an appraising look. "You think you've figured me out, do you?"

It was then that Kara really looked at his face for the first time, and saw what she'd been too sidetracked to notice in Germany. He was sweating, and there was a distance behind his eyes, which each held heavy bags beneath them like weights. Kara furrowed her brow, her gaze moving to the exposed skin of his neck. Was that the fading shadow of a bruise under his chin? And what looked like…Burns? Peeking out from his high collar? All in all, he looked like he had aged a thousand years in the one that it had been since she'd seen him before. She met his eyes in shock, and he matched her stare for stare.

"Landing."

The pilot's sharp voice brought them both to attention, and Loki stood, rolling his shoulders. "Good."

Kara felt her stomach fly to her throat as the QuinJet descended quickly, and strained to look out the window behind Loki. She saw buildings, lots of buildings, but none of them looked in any way familiar. Loki saw her looking, and grinned as the QuinJet thudded to a hard stop, causing the girl to gasp. The doors at the back of the jet hissed open, and Kara winced at the sudden bright light. A landscape of skyscrapers stretched before her, so, she guessed, they were at the top of a very, very tall building. She heard Loki say something to the remaining guard, Lapsley, but couldn't hear what it was over the rushing wind. She jumped when the guard grabbed her arm, undoing her restraints and hoisting her to her feet.

"Hey!" She protested as she was pushed forward to follow Loki down the ramp and out of the jet. There was a large metal door to the left of the landing pad, but to her horror, Lapsley instead led her to the right, towards the side of the building. "What- no!" She tried to wrench her arm away from the man, but his grip was like iron as he forced her closer to the side. "Don't!" She stepped on his toes, tried to knee him in the crotch, and eventually slapped her hand onto his bare face, hoping for some sort of reaction, but she saw nothing, and Lapsley's face remained stony and expressionless. He stopped his forward movement only when the pair of them were directly at the edge, Kara's toes resting on nothing but thin air. The wind whipped around her, and she forced herself not to look down.

"You think you've figured out my plans, then?" The voice was right near her ear. "You think you can read me? I can see into your head." She felt a finger touch her temple. "You don't know a thing. You are not special. Not important. So I advise that you stop testing me. Do not think for a moment that I won't kill you without a second's hesitation."

Lapsley pulled her away from the edge, and she released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

"Get her out of my sight." Loki ordered. "Welcome to New York, Karaline Stockholm."

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Kara was ushered into the building unceremoniously, down a flight of stairs, and into a large, open room, who's giant glass windows looked over the city. Kara paused to gawk at the view, but was pushed roughly on the shoulder.

"I don't know where you want me to go!" She snapped at Lapsley. He didn't respond, but instead pointed sharply to a slightly ajar door on the right. Kara glared at the guard before moving towards the door cautiously. She pushed it open slowly, expecting it to creak, but it didn't, and her eyebrows shot up at what she saw.

It was the fanciest and biggest bedroom she'd ever seen. A king sized bed of rolling, royal blue and grey duvets and silky looking pillows sat in the middle, the headboard pushed against the wall. Glass windows stretched from the floor to the ceiling on the left side of the room, letting in dull light. To her surprise, Lapsley did not stop her as she walked to the windows, pressing her face to the glass and looking down. She could see cars moving below her, but they were so far away that they looked like the smudgy background details of a Monet painting. She had to be in the tallest building in New York, she realized in astonishment. None of the other buildings even came close. The door clicked closed behind her, and she whirled around defensively, expecting Loki. But it was just Lapsley, positioning himself in front of the entrance, his legs spread slightly and his hands clasped behind his back, the same expressionless look on his face. To her surprise, he spoke.

"You are to make yourself presentable." He recited, not looking at her.

"Presentable?" Kara almost laughed, but swallowed the urge. "How? Why? Who am I being presented to?" The only answer she got was Lapsley's stiff point to another doorway across the room from her. "Oh. Great. Another ominous door. Thank you." She went to it, keeping a cautious eye on the guard, and opened it.

It was an expansive bathroom, even larger than her bedroom at home. Kara was impressed, though the usefulness of such a big powder room was lost on her. She ducked her head back out to look at the guard. "What do you mean by presentable?"

"You are to clean yourself and change."

"Change into what, exactly? I didn't really have an opportunity to, I don't know, pack."

"You are to clean yourself and change." Lapsley repeated, ignoring her question.

Kara scowled, "And if I won't?" Finally Lapsley looked at her, the only sign of independent life he'd shown thus far. It startled Kara, and she blinked in shock.

"Then I am to undress you and clean you by force."

Kara stared at him in disbelief, and Lapsley stared back, his glowing blue eyes intense. Kara swallowed.

"Alright then." She breathed, trying to regain even an ounce of pride. "Fine. I'll do it myself." She walked defiantly over to the lengthy chest of drawers across from the bed, pulling each one open as she moved along it, trying to find something she could change into. In one she found neatly folded jeans, and lifted a pair out. She could tell from the rough denim that they were mens, and that thought was confirmed when she unfolded them and held them up to her hips. Much too big. She tossed them back into the drawer without refolding and tried another bin. Finally she found one containing a collection of mens tank tops, and next to that, teeshirts. She took one of each, intending to layer the shirt over the tank top, operating on the hunch that she wouldn't find any clean bras. The last drawer she checked held pajama pants. She grabbed a pair at random and marched mulishly back to the bathroom, closing the door behind her a bit harder than necessary.

Piling the clothing on the counter by the sink before turing around, Kara was unsurprised to see that the door had no lock. Who would need one, when you lived in a building like this, and had your own private loo in your bedroom. She sighed, stripping her sticky clothes off of her, feeling her heart begin to pound harder and harder with each article of clothing that she removed. Alone, the gravity of her situation hit her like a hammer to the chest, and she found herself unable to stand without leaning against the marbled counter, her breath coming in short, painful gasps. She placed a hand over her bare chest, trying to calm herself. Breathe, she commanded her lungs. Breathe. You can't lose it right now. You can't. She forced herself to trace the shape of the sizable mirror with her eyes, breathing in along one side, and out along the other, until her heart began to slow and fall into a controllable rhythm. She stood straight, deciding to get this done with as quickly as possible. There was no knowing when Loki would be back, and Kara sure as hell did not want to be naked in the shower when he decided to stop by. She slid the glass door open and turned on the water, stepping in without waiting for it to warm up.

Kara lifted her face to the cold water, feeling it gradually change from ice to fire as it lifted and pulled away the filth from her skin and hair. She indulged in a moments pleasure, just standing there, relishing the feeling of it sliding over her. What if this is the last time I feel this comfort- She squashed the thought down, distracting herself by locating a bottle of shampoo. She popped open the top, the scent of cinnamon apple hitting her nose, and she was reminded of Tony, sitting next to her on the Quinjet on the way back from Stuttgart. He had smelled just like this. That thought made tears spring to her eyes, and she quickly poured some into her hand.

It stung the burns on her palm, and she winced. She grimaced through the pain, applying it to her scalp and rubbing vigorously until the white suds turned red. She had to do this twice, and then a third time to lather up her body, before the water began to run clear. She finished briskly after that, conditioning with a mixture that smelled exactly the same as the shampoo, before stepping out into the now foggy bathroom. It took her a few moments to locate a towel, but once she did she made short work of drying herself off and dressing in the clean clothes.

They were all much too big, and she had to tighten the draw strings on the pajamas as tight as they would go. There was nothing she could do about it now, and she stepped out of the bathroom, leaving her bloody clothes piled on the floor. She was unsurprised to see Lapsley standing in the exact same position that he had been in before.

"What now?" She asked, pushing a handful of damp hair out of her face.

He didn't answer her, simply opened the door and left, closing it behind him.

"Uh, okay." Kara drawled sarcastically. She tried the door without much hope. The handle didn't even move. Lapsley must have been holding it still from the outside. Kara frowned in frustration. There were still the windows, she told herself. But she scoffed inwardly. Great. Seemingly she had two options. She could stay here, in this immaculate bedroom, and wait for Loki to come back and do whatever he was going to do, or she could try to smash a window, and jump to her death. Or maybe the falling glass would alert someone to her presence, and that she needed help. It was worth a shot, she decided. Better than waiting for whatever Loki had in store for her.

Kara turned to the room, looking for anything that she could use to break the glass. It felt impossibly thick, so she had to find something dense. But all she saw was a wheelie office chair in front of a desk by the bed. She went to it and lifted it with a grunt. It seemed sturdy, made of cool, heavy metal. She hoisted it onto her hip, preparing to swing it with all her might. Her muscles tightened in anticipation, and she took a deep breath. "One," She said quietly, "Two-"

She heard the click of the door opening behind her, and an amused hum. Her body deflated in disappointment.

"Planning to jump to your death?" Loki asked, his voice coming from directly behind her.

"Something like that." Kara bit back, slowly setting the chair down.

"Well, by all means, don't let me stop you."

Kara ignored his cheery drawl and turned around, and was startled to find him standing immediately in front of her, barely a breath away. She looked up into his face, and he looked down, raising an eyebrow. "This smell suits you much better," He smirked.

"Why am I still here." The girl demanded.

The thin smile slipped from Loki's face, he lifted his chin, staring down his nose at her. "Touch me."

Kara's eyes widened, and she swallowed, her throat dry, "What?"

"Touch. Me." Loki repeated slowly. Kara stepped away in disgust, her back hitting the window. The man followed, taking a step closer to her. His brows furrowed, but his mouth curled in an evil smile. He knew he was scaring her, and it delighted him.

Kara shook her head in disbelief. "D- don't!"

Loki's chin twitched. "Don't what? Don't do this?" Before Kara could lift a hand to defend herself, the Asgardian grabbed her waist in a vice like grip and turned, throwing her onto the huge bed. Kara cried out, pushing herself up into a sitting position just in time to see Loki standing over her. "Or this?" His palms met her shoulders with a thud and she was forced back down onto her back. "Don't do what, little girl?" He gripped her legs and pulled her towards him. "Do you think, if I wanted you, I would ask for your active participation?" Loki stared down at the girl's horrified expression. "I already told you that I do not force myself on my prisoners," He began in a low growl. "But I do demand obedience." He dropped her legs, and Kara pulled them under her, shooting to her knees on the bed, breathing hard. "Now," He started again, reaching out a hand, palm up. Kara shrunk away from it, meeting Loki's eyes. "Touch me."

Oh. Understanding dawned, and Kara felt heat spread across her face. She cautiously stretched out her own arm, and brushed her fingers against Loki's. Nothing happened. Loki's mouth twitched in frustration.

"Do it again."

Nothing happened.

"Again."

Again, nothing.

"I don't know how-"

"If you fail-" Loki cut her off, "You are useless." His eyes flashed in anger. If the girl could not repeat the feat she accomplished on the ship, Loki would be unable to gift her to Thanos. What would a being so powerful want with a mortal who could only occasionally glimpse the past or future? He tried to think. What were the circumstances in which she'd done it before? The first time, right before Loki was about to kill her, and again, when she tried to escape. Both times it had happened, he realized, she'd been using it in defense. As a weapon. Maybe… "Useless…" He repeated with a snarl, grabbing her wrist and pulling her to him, "And if you are useless, I have no need of you anymore."

Kara gasped when Loki bent, pulling the same wicked silver blade he'd used before. He lifted it in a fluid motion and began to swing it down.

"No!" Kara shot her free hand out uselessly in an attempt to stop the downward thrust of the blade. Her hand wrapped around Loki's wrist, and the world fell away.

He felt the pain in his chest, and groaned, throwing his head back and clenching his teeth. The pain ebbed for a brief, blessed second, before it came back, worse than before. Fire under his skin, melting his resolve, melting him. He strained against his bonds, to no avail, and heard the chittering laugh of the Chitauri around him, and the booming guffaw of Thanos. A clammy hand grabbed his chin, forcing his face even further back, and Loki could smell the carrion hot breath.

"Do you want revenge?" It was slow, drawn out, and full of a twisted delight.

"No…" Another unbearable flash of pain, so powerful he could see white lights in his clenched eyes. "I want-" finally, an outward bellow of anguish erupted from him, and he strained so hard against his restraints that he felt muscles tear. "I want… the world!"

The present rushed back, clearing Loki's head, but not his aching limbs. The pain lingered briefly, flashing through every fiber of his body before retreating back into his memory. He opened his eyes, knowing what he would see.

The girl was staring at him, a look of terror and, more horribly, pity, on her face. Loki dropped her arm, and she in turn yanked her hand away from his wrist, clambering across the bed away from him. "What happened to you?" She breathed, but Loki's face was stoney as he met her eyes.

"Very good." He said finally, the mask of false cheeriness replacing the ghost of anguish on his face. "Not useless after all. How fortunate for you."

He stepped away from the bed, walking to the door. "Come," He said, not looking back, and Kara realized that she had very little choice but to obey.

She watched Loki exit into the main room, and reluctantly crawled off the bed, running a hand through her drying hair absentmindedly, thinking about what she had seen. Loki had been tied to a chair in a dark, unbearably hot place. And there were…things…not people, taunting him. Hurting him. Forcing something from his lips. A confession? She had no idea. But now the marks on his body made sense. Horrible, tragic sense.

She walked to the doorway and paused, leaning against the beam, arms crossed defensively. Loki was standing in front of the gargantuan windows, his hands clasped behind his back. The light shining around him framed him in silhouette, outlining his strong, uplifted jaw. The sight was striking, and Kara just watched him for a few moments.

Loki was acutely aware of the eyes on him, but he did not acknowledge the girl in the bedroom doorway. He could still feel the heat of his imprisonment, and was trying to shake the second thoughts swirling in his head. He knew what he wanted, and he knew how to get it.

He wanted the world. But, perhaps more than that, he wanted to be rid of Thanos forever. And now he felt he had a means to do that. A ticket out. A card to play, as it were. And she was standing in the room with him, wearing a baggy pair of Tony Stark's pajama pants. He tilted his face to look at her inconspicuously. Her gaze had shifted to her right, staring out over New York and rubbing her arms absently, her brows knit close in concern. The sight of her her sent his thoughts swimming again. He once again recalled his own trial with the Chitauri, the ministrations placed upon him by Thanos, none to gently persuading and molding Loki to his will. It would be worse for the girl, he knew. She was merely human.

And she was special, despite his earlier words. He wasn't much for religion, but he also wasn't one to believe in simple coincidence. She'd somehow managed to show up twice now, directly in his trajectory, and that couldn't be happenstance. Either she was special, or the universe was offering him this saving grace from Thanos. And he didn't think the universe was inclined to do him any favors.

So she was special, and who was he to extinguish someone special by handing them to the leader of the Chitauri, to trade someone special for his own peaceful existence. Who was he? Falling into the hands of the Chitauri through fault of his own. He shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He was Loki. He was going to rule the world. She was a human. Just a human. Not special in any way. She was watching him again, and he sniffed indignantly.

"Enjoying the view?"

Kara's face went red, looking down quickly as Loki moved away from the window towards two chairs. They were placed across from each other, sharing a table between them. Loki motioned to them, and reluctantly, Kara went to one, sitting down nervously.

Loki paced around her, and Kara had to fight to suppress a shiver. She didn't like him behind her. She jumped when his arm passed her, but all he did was place a bottle on the table with a heavy 'chink', and two glasses.

"Celebrating something?" She asked, unable to help herself, noticing the label on the bottle.

"I suppose one could call this, a housewarming party?" Loki sat gracefully across from her with a sly smile.

"You must be pretty excited about it." The girl conceded, "That's a Glen Grant fifty year old malt."

Loki raised an eyebrow. "I'm afraid I don't know Earth drinks very well. Is that," He waved a hand dismissively at the bottle, which was only half full. "…unusual?"

"Well," Kara tried to look unimpressed, "It's a four thousand dollar bottle."

Loki chuckled, removing the ornate glass stopper and pouring the amber liquid into both glasses. "You know your way around a bottle of whiskey? I can't say that you look the type…" He let the sentence hang, waiting for an opening.

Kara shrugged, not reaching for the offered drink. "I'm Russian." Was all she said in way of answer. There it was, Loki jumped at the opening.

"Russian, really?" He asked, feigning surprise. "How long did you live there?" Of course, he already knew the answer. He knew everything. The brunette narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"Why?"

"I'm just trying to make conversation to pass the time." His tone sounded fake, even to his ears, and he knew the girl wasn't fooled. To his surprise, she gave in to the laid back facade, despite the guarded look in her eyes.

"Eight years."

"Did you enjoy it? Living there?" He lifted his drink to his lips, giving the girl a knowing smile.

"I-" The question caught Kara off guard, and she stopped speaking, frowning. She lifted her drink thoughtfully, looking down at the ice. "I suppose…"

Loki was surprised at how easy this was turning out to be. "You, suppose? Don't you…Remember?"

"Of course." Kara snapped, "I mean, of course I remember. I remember birthday parties with my aunt and my father, and school, trips to the zoo, stuff like that." She seemed pleased with her answer, nodding. Loki had been expecting this, and he nodded to her drink with a hint of a warning glint in his eyes. Hesitantly, Kara brought it to her lips for a small sip.

Loki watched her struggle with her memories for a bit, taking another few sips when he encouraged her too. Finally he urged the conversation onwards. "Why did you leave Russia?"

"My father wanted a better life for me in America." The girl responded automatically, without really thinking about it. Then she paused, touching her lips, a look of wonderment on her face.

"What was that?" Loki asked, a satisfied smile growing on his face. "Why did you leave Russia?"

The words came before Kara could stop them. "My father wanted a better life for me in America." She met Loki's eyes in frustration. "What are you doing to me?" She accused.

Loki held up his hands, proclaiming innocence, "I have done nothing." He insisted. "You were just telling me why you left Russia."

Kara tried to keep her mouth closed, but to her dismay, her mouth moved without her permission. "My father wanted a better life for me in America," She immediately pressed a palm to her mouth. "What the hell…"

"Well, I think you've made that point pretty clearly." Loki was clearly pleased. "Tell me about your mother."

"What are you, a therapist?" The girl snapped.

"Just curious."

Kara closed her eyes, trying to concentrate through her confusion. There seemed to be an empty spot in her head, and probing at it burned. But she was sure that's where the memories of her mother should have been. Of course, she'd had a mother. She had to have. Her father had been married, she knew. And if she allowed her mind to drift a bit, she could sense certain shadows in her memory, a faceless form. Was that her mother? She couldn't tell, and she had no idea why.

"I can't," She began, running her hands through her hair in distress. "I can't seem to bring her to mind…"

"How mysterious," But his tone, along with his grin, implied that it was anything but. Kara fixed him with a glare as he refilled both of their glasses. "Don't you find that odd?"

"I guess, I never really thought about it…." She noticed his expression, and her face hardened "What are you not telling me." she demanded, fighting the urge to toss the expensive whiskey into his face. "What do you know."

"What makes you think I know anything?"

"Because of the way you're looking at me!" Kara could hardly contain her rage. "I know you know something! Just tell me!"

Loki made very little effort to hide his smug smile behind his glass. "And why would I do that, when I find it more entertaining to watch you reach your own conclusions?"

Kara threw her hands into the air in exasperation. "What do you want from me?" She asked incredulously. "Do you want me to admit that I'm scared? Alright. There you have it. I am terrified. I'm confused. I'm lost, I have no idea why I'm even here, or even where I would rather be right now." Loki lifted an eyebrow, half impressed with the girl's outburst. "So if you're trying to make me second guess my entire life, congrats. You've succeeded. In fact, you succeeded the very first time I ever saw you. Good job. I hope it gave you- whatever satisfaction you were looking for. Now please," She placed her hands on the cool table. "Please…I am done with this guessing game. Tell me what you know, or just get on with doing whatever you planned to do to me…" Her voice cracked, "Or just let me go…"

To her dismay, her words were met with slow, ironic, claps. "I am impressed," Loki stated derisively, stoping his sardonic applause. "What courage," The word was a thinly veiled threat, "that must have taken. I can only wonder what possessed you." He pushed the now refilled drink over to her, not really wondering at all as she lifted it reluctantly to her mouth.

"Honestly," Kara replied lowly, "I haven't eaten anything in almost twenty-four hours, and you've been forcing this shit into me on a completely empty stomach."

"Are you telling me that you're already intoxicated?" There was laughter in his voice, and Kara narrowed her eyes at him.

"I guess you could say my head is spinning." She retorted sharply.

Feigning defeat, Loki acquiesced to the girl's previous demand, and began, cryptically of course, to tell her what he knew.

Kara sat with her mouth clamped in a grim line, her fists clenched on her thighs. Occasionally she shook her head in denial, her eyes squeezed shut. This was too much, and every time she thought it couldn't get worse, it did.

"Stop…"

"You're wrong-"

"I don't want to hear any more…"

But her pleas fell on deaf ears, Loki relentlessly pounding her with new information.

"You're wrong!" She finally exploded, shooting to her feet, shaking in anger. "You're lying! Natasha would NEVER allow S.H.I.E.L.D to mess with my memories! Especially not at eight! There is no way!"

"Really?" Loki stood as well, towering over her. "Can you explain how you could have lived in Russia for almost ten years, yet you barely know a word of the language? The language you were raised speaking?"

Kara tossed her head from side to side violently. "There has to be another explanation- Clint, Nat, my dad, they love me. They wouldn't do that to me…"

"Why did you leave Russia?" He couldn't help himself, the timing was just too good to pass up. He saw the girl's pained expression as she she tried to clench her jaw to stop the words from coming out.

"My…" Her eyes rolled up in her strain. "My father…" Tears collected at the corners of her eyes, she was unable to stop the phrase, so etched into her brain as it was. "My father wanted," She choked on a sob, "a better life for me in America."

"You can not trust your government's organizations." Loki's voice was almost sweet, it wrapped around Kara's damaged mind, whispering softly that he was right, and that it wasn't her fault. "All they want is war. To dominate. To destroy. There is nothing they will not hide, if it furthers their goal." Kara flinched at his cold hand under her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "No one that they will not risk. No child that they will not sacrifice to extend their reach and strengthen their hold on this world. Break through, Karaline. S.H.I.E.L.D is not your ally. They have done the unforgivable."

"And I suppose you've been so much better," But her heart wasn't in the spiteful comment. In a way, she felt that despite her snark, what she'd said had at least an ounce of truth.

"Have my motives ever been unclear to you?"

No. Kara realized with a start, closing her eyes. No, even if the motive had been to kill her slowly and painfully, it had always been quite clear. Loki wanted the world, and he was willing to kill for it. Willing to destroy. But he didn't hide his cruelty. Didn't cover his desires with the mask of 'public good'. His wants were straightforward. Who knew what S.H.I.E.L.D wanted, other than to track all the mutants on the planet and harness the Tesseract's power for weapons.

"I don't know what to do…" Her ears alerted her foggy head that she had said this aloud.

Loki saw a flash of red and gold streak by the window, and grinned. "Forget your aunt. Forget your soldier out of time. They have all lied to you. S.H.I.E.L.D wants to use you." He watched Iron Man land outside, and their eyes met over the top of the girl's head.

"What do you want?"

He wanted the girl to forsake S.H.I.E.L.D, to let the hatred of it and her family fester in her heart until the sight of her own face in the mirror filled her with disgust. He wanted to see the look of satisfaction on Thanos's face when he was gifted with a mortal who could see the past and future, his first spoils of the new world Loki would conquer for him. A tiny part of him, easily silence-able, argued that he wanted to keep the girl, lock her away, visit the past and future at his own leisure, watch the infection of her hate consume her slowly. But more than anything, right then at that very instant, he wanted to wipe the triumphant smile off of the Stark man's face as he strode through the glass doors from the terrace, his armor disappearing as he walked cockily towards the sloping stairs to approach the pair. And luckily, Loki knew exactly how to accomplish that.

"I want you to touch me." He whispered into the shell of Kara's ear, not breaking eye contact with Stark. "No," He stopped the girl from reaching for his hand, misunderstanding his words. He lifted his hand to Kara's face again, smirked at the man on the stairs, and pressed his mouth to hers.

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Kara's eyes shot open in surprise, and she lifted a fist automatically, slamming it into the side of Loki's face. He let go of her, and she backed up, putting her abandoned chair between them. Loki looked up at her in shock, his hand to his face.

"What is wrong with you?" She spluttered, aside from the obvious, she added in her head. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "You think- You think that I'll sit back and watch you take over the world because my aunt did something awful to me? I agree with you that it's unforgivable, but I will not stand by and let you enslave all of humanity for it! You are no better than S.H.I.E.L.D!" She stumbled over a few words, the alcohol making her face slightly numb, "With your desire to control and humiliate for your own selfish reasons! You're worse!"

She heard laughter and applause, and for an awful second, she thought it was Loki again, and that she'd passed some sort of test. But the clapping came from behind her, she realized. She spun around, and was stunned to see Tony standing at the bottom of the stairs, holding the railing to keep himself from doubling over in mirth.

"Oh man." He guffawed, wiping a tear away from the corner of his eye, trying to catch his breath. "I am SO happy that I have video surveillance set up around this room, because I am going to watch that footage over and over again."

"Tony?!"

Tony beamed, giving her an obvious once over. "Good to see you again, Curly." He began, nodding to her attire. "But you know, if you wanted to get into my pants, you could have just asked."

Kara's face burned bright red, both at Tony's lewd comment, and at the idea of Loki's persuasion attempt being documented, and, even worse, displayed.

Speaking of Loki, he seemed to have completely forgotten about Kara for the time being, brushing past her, his staff materializing in his hands.

"Please tell me you're going to appeal to my humanity," He said sarcastically.

Tony clasped his hands behind his back. "Uh, actually, I'm planning to threaten you." He glanced at Kara, now behind Loki, and twitched his shoulder to the left almost imperceptibly. Loki didn't seem to notice, but Kara did. Unfortunately she didn't understand what he wanted.

"You should have left your armor on for that." Loki's voice was menacing, but Tony couldn't quite take him seriously after watching him get decked by an eighteen year old.

"Yeah," He began lazily, walking around both Loki and Kara to the bar, noticing the bottle and glasses on the table. "It's seen a bit of milage, and you've got the glow stick of destiny. Looks like you had a drink. Good idea." He made eye contact with the girl again, who hadn't moved. "You know, kid. Those are my favorite bottoms. Wanna be a champ and go change into a different pair? Maybe the blue ones?" Both Kara and Loki seemed confused, and the Asgardian looked back at the girl, remembering her presence for a second. Tony took Loki's momentary distraction as an opportunity to quickly pat his pockets and point to his wrists, miming what he wanted Kara to do. Understanding crossed her face, and Tony forced himself not to look relieved as Loki looked back at him. "I'm gonna have a drink." he explained, holding up a glass. You've inspired me. Want one? Preferably something cheaper than the Glen Grant?"

Kara watched Loki dubiously, taking a few steps away from him. When he didn't seem to notice, she took a few more. His focus had shifted completely to Tony, who was pouring himself a drink behind the bar.

"Stalling me won't change anything." Loki insisted as Kara disappeared back into the bedroom.

She could hear them still speaking as she dashed to the end of the chest of drawers, pulling open the one that had contained sleeping clothes. She dug around in it with growing frustration. Was Tony insane? There weren't any blue pajama pants in here. She straightened and looked around the room desperately. Where else could they be?

There! On the floor, just barely peeking out from under the duvet, was a crumpled pant leg. Blue jeans. Blue. Kara sighed in irritation at Tony, intending to mention later that he was absolute shit at conveying enigmatic messages, and realizing with no small amount of incredulity that if it hadn't been for her and Loki's brief tussle on the bed, the pants may have still been completely hidden from her. She grabbed for them, checking the pockets, and pulling out two bracelet-esque objects. Both had tiny screens on the front, and seemed completely useless, but Kara had no doubt that this is what Tony had wanted. She exited the room to Tony speaking.

"Let's do a headcount here. Your brother, the demigod. A Super soldier, a man with breathtaking anger issues, a couple of master assassins who, by the way, happen to think you killed our tiny friend. And you, big fella, happened to piss every single one of them off."

"That was the plan." Loki confirmed with a nod.

"Not a great plan." He met Kara's eyes over Loki's shoulder and she nodded, holding up the metal cuffs, and then quickly lowered her hand behind her back when Loki began to turn his head to look at her. "When they come," Tony said loudly, regaining Loki's attention. "-and they will, they'll come for you."

Loki scoffed. "I have an army."

"We have a hulk."

"I thought the beast had wandered off."

Tony shook his head at Loki's cocky retort. "You're missing the point. There is no throne." He said seriously, approaching Loki, drink in hand. "There is no version of this where you come out on top. So maybe your army comes, and maybe it's too much for us, but it's all on you. Because if we can't protect the Earth-You can be damn well sure we'll avenge it."

Loki lowered his face like a bull about to charge, and his voice was barely audible to Kara, who she shivered at his words. "How will your friends have time for me," He began, lifting his scepter as if to impale Tony with it. "When they're so busy fighting you?" He lowered the blade viciously towards Tony's chest and Kara gasped.

Ching.

Loki looked confused, the flaming blue light of his weapon not filling Tony's eyes as he'd expected, and the blade not meeting soft skin, but instead what felt to be metal. He lifted the blade and tried again.

Ching.

Loki blinked, "This usually works."

"Well, performance issues, you know." Tony shrugged, "It's not uncommon. You know one out of five-" His words were cut off by Loki seizing his throat in an iron hand and throwing him to the ground. He grunted, struggling to his feet. "Curly- anytime now!"

Kara started at his words, realizing what she needed to do. She rushed to Tony, slipping the cuffs around his wrists deftly under the pretense of helping him to his feet.

Loki grabbed at the girl, tossing her aside carelessly, and reached for Tony's throat again. "You will all fall before me." He spat in anger, lifting Tony off of his feet.

"Deploy-" Tony coughed in discomfort at the hand tightening around his neck. He called again, louder. "Deploy!"

Loki threw the man hard at the large window, shattering it.

"Tony!" Kara screamed as he disappeared from view, but before she could run to the side of the building, there was a high pitched beeping. She looked back to see what she had thought was a closet slide open, and a compacted, missile shaped red object shot out and through the destroyed window, nearly knocking Loki off his feet. He turned angrily to Kara, and she shrunk under his furious glare.

"What did you do?" He demanded loudly, leveling his weapon at her, but he had no time to interrogate.

"And there's one other person you pissed off!" Both Kara and Loki shot their heads around to look out the smashed window. Tony was hovering there, in full armor, looking very pleased with himself. "Her name's Kara, and as you know- She's got a hell of an arm!"

Loki swung his staff around to fire at Iron Man, but Tony was too quick, raising his own arm and sending out a blast that sent Loki flying, landing on his back with a grunt.

Tony landed, holding out his arms. "Okay Curly! Get your ass in gear, lets go!" Kara rushed to him, and felt herself being lifted.

"Tony- I have to tell you something!" She began as Tony jumped out the window. She felt her stomach lurch, once more finding herself in the air.

"If you're about to tell me that you saw me die in some sort of vision- I already know."

"What?" Kara shouted over the rushing air. "How-"

"Rogers saw it too, when you touched his hand. Any way that you saw for me to avoid it?"

"I-" Kara saw, over Tony's red clad shoulder, Loki standing in the opening they had left through. There was a flash of blue, and, "Tony look out!"

The blast hit Tony in the back and he shouted, Kara slipping from his arms with a cry. He saw her hit the Stark Tower balcony hard as he somersaulted head over feet through the air. When he regained his balance, Kara was laying where she had landed, near where he had left the unconscious Doctor Selvig when he'd first arrived. She was very still. He started to go to her, but the spinning orb of the Tesseract before both bodies began to pulsate, shooting up a bright blue beam into the sky where it sent a shock through the air, and seamed to ripple out into a wide, dark portal. Tony followed it with his eyes, his heart sinking as figures began to shoot through, screaming out battle cries.

"Right." He muttered. "Army." He shot straight towards them, shouting into his mic. "Gang, the kid's down."

"WHAT?!" He didn't know who's angry voice it was, perhaps even all three, but the sheer volume made him wince inside his helmet.

"More importantly- The Tesseract has opened some sort of vortex."

"We see it." That was Natasha. "We're headed North East." She looked to Clint beside her, his face grim.

"Down. Down could mean anything." He said, but it was unclear who he was trying to reassure, himself, or the other two passengers of the Quinjet.

"We can't focus on that now. We have a city to save." With some effort, Natasha forced all feelings out of her head. She had a job to do, she could deal with everything else later. That thought didn't stop her fingers from clenching in anticipation of ripping off Loki's head.

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Loki walked out onto the terrace, his weapon in his hand. Shimmering, gold armor began to form on his body, and a great horned helmet materialized on his head. He gazed around at the destruction beginning to rain upon the city, and smiled. He'd seen the girl land somewhere around here, and he scanned the ground for her. There, a mass of hair and baggy clothing. He jumped from where he stood, landing nimbly beside the spinning tesseract. His feet crunched over the decorative sand as he made his way to her, ignoring the body of Doctor Selvig. He knelt, pushing her heavy hair out of her face to feel for a pulse. There was nothing…no, wait- the tiniest flutter, a few moments of stillness, then another. Loki's mouth twisted into a wry smile of satisfaction. She would live, just barely, but she wasn't going anywhere any time soon. And Loki would have another story to crush her with when she awoke to a captive planet. The one of how the wonderful Tony Stark let her fall, and then abandoned her.

He heard a heavy thud behind him, and straightened, turning to face none other than Thor, brandishing Mjolnir threateningly.

"Loki." The man boomed. "Turn off the Tesseract or I will destroy it!"

"You can't!" Loki shouted over the rushing wind. "There is no stopping it! There is only the war!"

"So be it."

They rushed at each other, both raising their weapons, a deafening clang ringing out when they collided. Loki regained his composure first, sending a bolt of energy at Thor, causing him to stumble. In his peripheral vision, Loki saw a massive QuinJet lower itself out of the sky, it's guns aimed straight at him. He lifted his arm fluidly, firing straight into the wing, causing it to spin away. Unfortunately for him, that meant his attention was not on Thor, and the blond man hit Loki in the chest with his shoulder, tackling him to the ground hard. His staff flew out of his hand, clattering to rest on the balcony a floor down from him.

"Look at this!" Thor bellowed, holding Loki's face in place, forcing him to watch the decaying city. Screams of civilians floated up to them, filling the air. "Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule!?"

Loki tried to force his chin out of Thor's grasp, "It's too late…" He said softly, "It's too late to stop it…"

"No." Thor released his brother's face, staring into his eyes. "We can. Together." There was a sharp, agonizing pain in his gut, and Thor stumbled away, holding his side. He heard Loki laugh scornfully.

"Sentiment." He began contemptuously, "It-" Thor charged him again, this time lifting Loki into the air and slamming him down hard enough to dent the terrace. Loki felt blood on his temple, and sighed, rolling away and off the side of the building. He fell through open air for a few seconds before twisting around to land feet first on a Chitauri chariot, the occupants shrieking with triumph as they soared, carrying their leader away from Thor, who growled and leapt from the building as well, heading back to help his comrades on the ground.

"What's the story upstairs?" Steve asked as Thor hit the ground beside him.

"The energy surrounding the cube is impenetrable." He responded in frustration, taking a mental count in his head. He noticed that Clint, Natasha, and Steve were all watching his expectantly. "What?" He asked.

"Did you see Kara?" Though her face was stoney, Natasha's eyes were desperate and imploring.

Thor nodded, trying to recall what he had seen. Loki kneeling in front of the girl's body, checking for life; but with his back to him, there was no way to tell if Loki had been pleased or not, and, come to think of it, even if Thor had been able to see his face, he didn't know if pleased would have been a good sign or not. "I saw her briefly."

"And? Was she okay?" That was Tony's voice in everyone's ear pieces. Steve relayed the question to Thor, who shook his head.

"I do not know. She did not move. I was more interested in dealing with Loki."

"Thor's right, we gotta deal with these guys," Clint said, firing an arrow into the neck of an oncoming Chitauri.

Natasha nodded in affirmation. "Alright. How do we do this?"

"As a team." Steve said definitively.

"I have unfinished business with Loki." Thor made as if to leave, but Clint held out an arm to stop him.

"Yeah. Get in line."

"Save it. No one goes after Loki, not yet." Steve snapped. "He's gonna keep this fight focused on us, and that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he's gonna need us to-"

The revving of an engine made all four of them turn in surprise. A small motorbike was headed towards them, slowing down. It stopped, and Bruce Banner stepped off, a sheepish smile on his face.

"So," He began, making his way towards them through the rubble. "This all seems horrible."

Natasha flashed him a rueful smile. "I've seen worse."

"Sorry…" Bruce looked down, remembering the ship, and how he'd tried to kill the woman standing before him.

"No," The redhead interrupted his apology, her hand up. "We could use a little worse."

Steve clapped Bruce on the back, speaking into his mouthpiece. "Stark, we got Banner down here."

"Tell him to suit up." Tony said, avoiding the bayonet end of an energy rifle. "I'm bringing the party to you." He turned quickly, the giant, serpentine Chitauri Leviathan following close behind him. He came around the side of a building, leading it straight to the five people on the ground.

Natasha stiffened, preparing for a fight, "I don't see how that's a party." She ground out as the gargantuan ship swooped towards them.

"Doctor," Steve began uncertainly, "Now might be a really good time for you to get angry."

"That's my secret, Captain…" Bruce took a few steps away from the group towards the oncoming threat. He smiled at Steve over his shoulder. "I'm always angry."

Chaos ensued, and the group split up, protecting civilians and doing their best to destroy as many of the Chitauri as they could.

"Steve!" Natasha shouted, getting his attention. He used the sharp edge of his shield to cut down an alien soldier and turned to the woman. "They're still coming through!" She pointed up, and Steve looked. She was right, they were coming through the vortex even faster now. There was no way they could kill all of them. Natasha spoke again, saying exactly what was in Steve's head. "None of this is gonna mean a goddamn thing if we don't close that portal!"

"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it-"

"Maybe it's not about guns." Natasha pointed up to where the steady blue glow was originating. "We have to shut it down at the source!"

Steve followed her point doubtfully. "You want up there, you're gonna need a ride."

Natasha grinned. "I got a ride. I could use a lift though." She backed up to give herself a running start, and Steve furrowed his brow, crouching down and angling his shield to do what she asked.

"You sure about this?"

"Yeah." Natasha answered, wiping some blood from her bottom lip. "It'll be fun." She ran for the shield, and without question, Steve vaulted her into the air.

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

Back in the bridge of the Helicarrier, Nick Fury watched everything happening through Natasha, Clint, Steve, and Tony's eye pieces. On the wall to his right, several men and women stared at him from their own screens, grim looks of determination on their faces.

"Director Fury," On of the men began in a damning voice. "The Counsel has made a decision."

Fury did not allow his face to convey the disgust he felt, but he allowed his words to do so. "I recognize the Counsel has made a decision, but given that it's a stupid ass decision, I've elected to ignore it."

"Director!" A woman snapped, and Fury looked at her uncaringly. "You're closer than any of our subs. If you scramble that jet…"

"That-" Fury pointed at his wide screen, "Is the island of Manhattan, Councilmen. Until I'm certain that my team cannot hold it, I will not order a nuclear strike against a civilian population."

The woman spoke again, an edge in her voice. "If we don't hold them in the air, we lose everything-"

"I send that missile out," Fury cut her off, "And we already have." With that he shut off their screens, ignoring their protests.

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Kara opened her eyes and groaned, sitting up. Sand rolled off of her, falling from her hair into her eyes and making them burn. Her lungs felt like she'd been trampled by a horse, and she felt fire in her right arm, the one she'd instinctively shot out to break her fall. She knew without looking that it was broken. She looked anyway. It could be worse. It seemed to be a closed fracture, so no bone appeared to have come through her skin. It still hurt more than anything she could have possibly described.

"Girl…girl are you alright?"

Kara jumped and then winced at the pain it caused. She turned her ringing head to see a man with wispy white hair staring at her in concern. His red face turned fearful when he saw her eyes, and she fumbled her words, trying to assure him that she was not under Loki's control.

"I'm- I'm me." She said. "I'm not, I mean. Who are you?"

The man sighed in relief. "My name is Erik Selvig, and I wasn't me until, well, I don't know how long ago. I just got back. I was told to make this but…" He motioned to the device that held the Tesseract, "What is going on?" He gestured to the sky frantically.

Kara looked around at the destruction, climbing to her feet gingerly. "Loki…" She muttered, and as if on cue, there was an explosion behind the two. They both whirled, seeing a flash of green as Loki was thrown into the wall of Stark tower, crashing through a window. There was a roar, and a bulking green form followed the Asgardian into the pad. "And the Hulk!?" Kara cried in disbelief. She turned back to Selvig, her brows knit together. "I have no idea what's going on!"

Selvig nodded, seeming to understand. "Were you put under his control a few days ago as well?"

"No!" Kara would have shaken her head, but her whole body hurt too much. "A few days ago I was graduating High School and getting on a plane to Germany!" Selvig gaped at her, but Kara was staring up at the dark vortex over the city.

"The Tesseract…Okay." She frowned. "I don't know what's going on, but that looks bad. Any ideas?"

"No- I"

"Well you built the damn thing! You must know how to destroy it!"

Selvig shook his head frantically. "I don't remember how!"

"Kara!"

Kara spun around as Natasha jumped from the Chitauri chariot she had hijacked, landing in a crouch on the terrace. Normally, Kara would have rushed to her, but the memory of what Loki had told her caused her to hang back. She was happy to see the woman though, if anyone could figure out what to do, it would be her.

Natasha saw the distrust flicker across Kara's face, and her heart sank. She quickly swallowed the dread, putting on a business like air. "Doctor." She acknowledged Selvig's presence with a kurt nod. "Any idea how to close the portal?"

Selvig paled, beginning to ramble. "The- the energy! Can't fight!" He motioned to where Loki's scepter had touched him, taking him over, "You can't protect yourself! I don't know how I built it- I can't-"

"Calm down, doctor. It's okay." Natasha lifted her hands, "I need you to concentrate. Anything you can give me will help. Okay? Calm down, think back. Go back."

Those two words struck a chord with Kara and she gasped. "Go back!" Both Natasha and Selvig looked at her, and she tried to explain as fast as possible. "I touched Loki! And he went back! He went back! I did it! I did!"

"Kara what are you talking about?"

The girl forced herself to calm down, "It might not work, but I think I can do it again! I can make him go back!" She turned to Selvig excitedly, carefully lifting her unbroken left hand. "Touch me!"

Selvig looked from Kara to Natasha, who appeared to be just as confused as he. "Wh-what?"

"No time to argue!" She began to reach for his hand then paused, "I sincerely apologize in advance if we end up seeing something upsetting…" She grabbed his hand, and everything around her blurred, like the earth had started spinning at ten times the normal rate.

When it stopped, she was standing exactly where she'd been, but Selvig was nowhere to be seen, and it was very dark outside. She turned around, and her feet, which normally would have crunched on the sandy terrace, were completely silent. Natasha was gone too, as were the hundreds of Chitauri flying through the air. She heard someone approaching and looked around and gasped. Selvig was walking forward, Loki's staff gripped tightly in his pale hands, the Tesseract in it's stand illuminating his face with a blue light in the dim. He looked nervous, and he glanced over his shoulder, as if he expected someone to see him. He went to the computer by the stand, tapping a few keys slowly, then more as his confidence grew. The screen flashed, and there was a low beep, and Selvig took a deep breath before lifting the staff upwards, towards the shimmering cube. Both the Tesseract, and the energy in the scepter pulsed, and Selvig lowered the weapon. A few more taps on the computer and the screen went dark again. Selvig hustled back to the penthouse like a scared dog. The world began to pull on Kara like a strong wind, and she felt her consciousness begin to float away and back to the world she had left. There was a sensation that she'd come to know, like someone was trying to suck her up through a straw, before she dropped back into the world of blinding light and deafening destruction.

She wiped her hand over her face to focus, and let go of Selvig's hand. He was stunned. He could still feel the cold night air on his skin, and sense the panic in his lungs, as he had that night. "I…" He mumbled. "I fought the control!" He looked at Natasha, delighted. "I fought him! I remember! I saw it! I lived it again!" Without waiting for her to respond, he dashed to the computer he'd seen in his mind just a second ago, and began to type furiously. "I built in a failsafe to cut the power source!"

"Loki's scepter…" Kara whispered. "I saw what you saw." She said by way of explanation when the doctor stared at her. "Don't ask. But do you think it can close the portal?"

"I know it can! As you said, I built the damn thing!" He glanced down at the balcony below the trio, and smiled triumphantly. "And I'm looking right at it."

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

On the Helicarrier deck, a lone pilot sat in his plane, listening intently to his headset. "Director Fury is no longer in command." A crackling voice said into his ear. "Override order, Seven Alpha Eleven."

"Seven Alpha Eleven confirmed." He ignited his engine, preparing to take off.

Back in the Helicarrier bridge, Agent Maria Hill's screens began to flash, and she looked up, startled, to see the jet on the deck begin to roll forward, gaining speed. "Sir!" She cried, "We have a jet in motion! Anyone on the deck, we have a rogue jet! takeoff is NOT authorized! Shut it down!"

Fury watched helplessly as it took off into the air, carrying a deadly missile towards Manhattan. With a curse, he flicked on his headset. "Stark, you hearing me? We have a missile headed straight for the city!"

"How long?" came the breathless, cackling reply .

"Three minutes at best. Stay low, wipe out the missile."

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

Natasha swung herself over the edge of the veranda and landed agilely, scooping up Loki's scepter and scanning the building for a way to get back up. "I can close it!" She shouted into her headset, "Can anybody hear me? I can shut the portal down!"

"Do it!" The voice was Steve's, followed by a grunt of pain and the cry of a Chitauri soldier as it was killed.

"No wait!" Tony demanded sharply, his voice frantic.

"Stark these things are still coming through!"

"Rogers, I got a nuke coming in and it's gonna blow in less than a minute. I know just where to put it." There was a pause, but since no situation could dull the blade of Tony's attitude, he added, "Unless you have a better idea."

"Stark," Steve sounded like he wanted to argue, then sighed. "See you when you get back."

There was a brief silence, then Tony swallowed. "I think this may be a one way trip, Captain. But I appreciate it."

"No. You'll be back." Steve said seriously, clicking a button on his mouthpiece so that only Tony could hear him. "I saw it, remember?"

Kara looked up at the portal, holding her breath as she saw Tony aiming straight for it with the missile in tow. She heard Natasha regaining the patio. When she looked over her aunt's face, she saw worry etched into every line. "He'll be back."

"You know that?"

"Yes." Kara nodded solemnly as Natasha readied herself to plunge the staff into the energy field around the Tesseract.

Suddenly, there was a far away explosion, and all the Chitauri chariots began to fall from the sky.

"I have to close it, Kara-"

"No! Wait!" Steve and Kara cried at the same time, Steve's voice ringing through the earpiece. Kara stared intently at the black hole in the sky, holding her broken arm to her chest tensely.

"Come on, Tony. Come on-"

Natasha saw a glimmer in the open space behind the portal grow, heading straight for the vortex. "That's a supernova!" She shouted. "It'll wipe out more than just Manhattan. We have to close it now!"

"I saw him come back!" Kara insisted, turning to the woman, pleading on her face.

"You don't know what you saw! I'm sorry, Kara. Captain, give the order, now!"

There was silence on the other end, then a defeated sigh. "Close it."

"NO!"

Natasha ignored the girl's dismayed exclamation, shoving the scepter into the Tesseract, then yanking it back out. There was a pulse of blue light, and the beam shooting into the air disappeared. The portal in the sky began to fold in to itself, getting smaller and smaller by the second. Just as it was about to disappear, a figure fell through, plummeting towards the ground.

"Son of a gun!" Steve shouted with a grin, "He made it!"

But Tony kept falling towards the ground, making no move to save himself.

"He's not slowing down!" Kara shouted, as if Natasha could do anything to help the man. Just then, a huge green form shot out of a building, snatching the falling man out of the sky and hitting another scraper, sliding down it to the ground with no small amount of destruction.

Steve,Thor, and Clint rushed to Tony when the Hulk dropped him to the ground, Thor ripping off the face of the man's helmet effortlessly. Steve was unsurprised, but still distraught to see that Tony was not breathing.

He had seen this. This is what Kara had shown him when she'd touched his hand. He spoke lowly into his mouth piece, "Romanoff,"

"Talk to me,"

"Tell Kara what she saw was right."

"What do you mean?" Natasha sounded confused, but she relayed Steve's message, and was shocked when she saw Kara's face crumple in distress.

"No…"

"Rogers, tell me what's happening down there."

Steve took a breath, preparing to declare Tony's time of death, but all of a sudden the Hulk leaned forward, roaring into Tony's face. The sound resonated so loudly that Natasha had to rip her earpiece off to avoid being deafened.

Tony's brown eyes shot open and he sucked in a lungful of air. "What the hell?! What just happened?!" He took a mental note of the four faces around him and groaned. "Please tell me nobody kissed me…"

There was a beat.

"We won." Steve said finally, a smile breaking out over his face.

"Alright!" Tony exclaimed, sitting up. "Hey. Alright. Good job guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. Have you ever tried Shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I want to try it." He smiled, realizing that the faint buzzing he was hearing was, in fact, loud cheering emanating from both Clint and Steve's ear pieces. It sounded like the kid, and that suspicion was confirmed when his own earpiece crackled back into life just in time to hear Natasha chastising the girl.

"Knock it off, Kara, your arm- you're gonna hurt it more, quit jumping around." There was a sigh of defeat. "Alright boys, we're not finished yet, we still have- Kara I swear to god if you fall off the roof- just stay here with Doctor Selvig."

"Right." Clint finished for her. "Loki."

The Hulk snorted in disgust, and all five of the men looked up at Stark tower, preparing for their final confrontation.

Tony took a deep breath. "Right. Then shawarma after."


	8. The Thief and I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy!! I'll have the new chapter up tomorrow hopefully! It's ready to go I just need to go through and edit!

Kara winced as the nurse turned her wrist slightly to get another angle for the X-ray, fighting the urge to pull her arm away and cradle it to her chest. After the final battle, when the adrenaline had worn off and the exhaustion had hit her like a pound of bricks, she had been hustled off quickly to what she assumed was the nearest S.H.I.E.L.D agency to be, as Natasha had put it, "Taken care of." Kara hadn't much appreciated her aunt's choice of wording, due to the fact that her feelings towards the woman weren't exactly positive. In Kara's mind, with her current distaste and distrust of S.H.I.E.L.D "Taken care of," could have just as easily meant a bullet in the brain in some abandoned warehouse, rather than actual medical attention.

It had, in fact, been the latter, and soon Kara was fitted with a rather high tech looking, lightweight cast for her broken bone. The nurse had assured her, while guiding her down the brightly lit hallway, that it was waterproof. "And the holes in the material allow for easy scratching." She added with an easygoing chuckle. Her cheery demeanor was met with stoney silence from Kara. Her smile faltered, and she slid open a door without comment.

It led to a small washroom that smelled strongly of rubbing alcohol and contained a simple sink and mirror, and a small shower. Compared to the bathroom Kara had seen in Stark Tower, it was kind of sad. Are you saying that Loki spoiled you? She thought, and smiled to herself at the irony, looking to the nurse for direction.

"Can you clean yourself up without assistance?" The woman was tall, thin, and her hair was a deep, brownish red. Much like Kara's own, only it fell in a slick, straight ponytail down her back, and had more than a few streaks of grey. Her name tag read 'Connie,' and the name seemed fitting. Kara examined her wrinkled, friendly face for a few seconds.

I wonder if my mother looked like that. The thought came unbidden to her mind, and she swallowed. "No." She whispered, as much to herself as to the nurse. "I'll be okay. What do I do when I'm done?"

"I'll be right out here. Just peek your head around the door and let me know when you're finished."

Kara nodded and shut the door. It was awkward to undress with the limited movement in her arm, but she managed alright and stepped into the shower. She looked down at her damaged hands. The skin was wrinkled over her burns, making her palms look like little red deserts. She rubbed a finger over one of the rigid white dunes, took a deep breath, and hooked a fingernail under it, pulling the skin up and away to reveal the bright red flesh beneath. It burned, and she hissed through her teeth as the water hit the raw skin. She didn't stop though, just adjusted her nails to get a better grip and kept peeling. She felt her mind clear as the pain seared through every other thought, and she relished in her ability to control the irritation. It was all up to her, the pace, the burn, the pain. A voice in the back of her head told her to stop, but the feeling of having some sort of power over something over-rode any semblance of common sense. In the last two days she'd been dragged around, thrown here, chased there, sent away, given to, taken from, and generally treated like some sort of…of bargaining chip, or a duffle bag of cash. And then, when all was said and done, when the Chitauri had fallen from the sky and Loki had been apprehended, she'd been sent away again, and by someone who, in Kara's opinion, no longer held any right to determine where Kara went or what she did.

And, Kara thought angrily, now I'm probably going to get sent home with some memories that aren't really mine. The thought made bile rise in her throat. She would rather die than let someone get into her head again. No more. She moved onto her other hand, but the urge to destroy herself further had faded, and now she just felt drained, and a bit ashamed. That hand was going to take quite a bit longer to heal now. Damn it. She stepped out of the shower without bothering to really wash herself, and found a little toothbrush wrapped in plastic, and a travel sized bottle of toothpaste on the sink. Kara hadn't realized until that moment, running her tongue over her teeth, how much she wanted to take advantage of the opportunity. Her tongue still tasted like whiskey, and her lips still tasted like…She sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. What was that taste? Sweat, of course, and a bit of blood, but there was the hint of cinnamon, and something that tasted like…Ice? It reminded her of the way Loki smelled, and she suddenly realized she was still tasting his mouth on hers. She barely made it to the toilet before the vomit passed her lips.

There wasn't much of it, due to the fact that all she'd put into her stomach in the last few days was whiskey and the small packet of crackers that had been provided to her when she'd arrived. Her stomach heaved nonetheless. She heard the door open behind her, and was embarrassed momentarily, to be seen kneeling naked and vomiting into a toilet, but another round of heaves shook her body and she couldn't spare the energy to think of the spectacle she must have been.

"Oh honey…" Kara felt a towel drift over her, and a hand rubbing her back gently.

"I'm-I'm sorry…" She gasped, feeling her stomach roll yet again as she continued to hurl.

"Don't be sorry," The nurse gently gathered Kara's wet hair away from her face, "This is completely normal. I promise. It's just shock. It will pass, don't worry."

Soon enough, Kara found the woman's words to be true. Her stomach stopped lurching, and she was able to stand. She turned on the faucet and lifted a handful of water to her mouth, rinsing it, keeping the baby blue towel firmly wrapped around her like a security blanket. The nurse watched as the girl brushed her teeth in silence, refusing to acknowledge what had just happened.

"I can't imagine what you've been through…" She began slowly, handing the girl light blue hospital gown and a pair of papery shorts to put on. She could, of course, imagine all sorts of horrors. She'd seen the aftermath of plenty of battles. Agents came to her with any number of injuries. Any sort of trauma a person could imagine, she'd seen ten times over. Missing eyes, limbs, ears. Bullet holes, rapes, knife wounds, and suicide attempts; Connie had seen it all, and, somehow, she had remained un-calloused. She handled each case like it was the worst she'd ever seen, learning early on that a sympathetic, caring hand worked better to sooth a patient than a brisk one.

This girl wasn't an agent, that much was clear, and Connie was still unsure why she'd been brought here, instead of to a civilian hospital. But regardless, she was a patient, and it was her duty to make sure the girl got the care, and more importantly, the reassurance and comfort, that she needed.

When the girl was dressed and examining her reflection, poking absently at the abrasions on her face, Connie smiled. "Ready to go for a ride?"

Kara looked up, "A ride?"

"Not a very fun one, I'm afraid." The woman pushed the bathroom door open to reveal a hospital bed on wheels, "But I put the blankets in the warming oven while you were showering, so at least it won't be a cold one."

Kara smiled in spite of herself, and let the nurse help her into the bed. It was warm, and Kara allowed herself, finally, to take a relieved breath, closing her eyes and letting her sore muscles relax a bit.

Connie pushed the bed down the hallway, motioning for another nurse to open the hospital room door when they reached it. She pushed the headboard against the wall and bustled around the room as quietly as possible, hooking up the saline drip and heart monitors with the ease of a woman who'd done it hundreds of times before. Gently, she turned the girl's broken arm palm up, feeling for a vein. "Don't move," She murmured instinctively, knowing she didn't need to bother with the warning. The girl did not wake up as she slid the I.V. in, just breathed deeply, completely dead to the world. Connie smiled in satisfaction, closing the blinds and turning off the lights on her way out. Thirty-seven years of experience had taught her that nothing was better for a patient, no matter what the injury, than a good sleep.

"Well?" The weary, redheaded agent in the hallway asked as Connie exited the room. The nurse held up a hand, stoping the blond man next to the female agent from entering the room.

"She is very lucky." She said, giving the agent a once-over and realizing why the girl had been brought to a S.H.I.E.L.D agency. The girl in the room could have easily been this woman's sister. "She's got a closed fracture in her arm, and some abrasions on her face and arms, as well as some healing scratches and fading bruises. She'll be fine to go in the morning, once I'm sure she's hydrated and has a solid meal in her.

"Can we see her?" The man asked. Both he and the woman looked worse for wear, with bandages on their faces and arms. Connie shook her head.

"She's sleeping. Leave her be for a few hours at least." She gave them both a fierce look. "I'm serious." She said in a tone that promised condemnation. "She is my patient. I know what's best for her right now." Both of them nodded hesitantly, "She's traumatized," She warned. "As I'm sure you can guess."

"You're the first name on the registry for trauma patients, Connie Meyers." The woman said, her face grim. "I am well aware of who I sent her to."

Connie was not cowed by the agent's sharp tone. "Good." she began, just as seriously, "Then I trust that you will not put her under any…unnecessary stress." With that, she strode away, leaving the pair in the hallway.

Steve looked to Natasha in confusion, "Unnecessary stress?"

Natasha sighed. "I assume it means they're keeping her drugged up until I choose whether or not to have her memories suppressed, and they don't want me to make her think too hard. The less mental stimulation, the easier it is to, well, erase."

"What?!" Steve asked, aghast. "You're going to suppress her memories? Natasha-"

Natasha glared at him. "She's a civilian, Steve. You want her to remember all of this? All of the pain? Whatever she went through with Loki? She was off our radar for over seven hours, think about it. Loki had seven hours to do anything he wanted to her. You think she'll want to remember that?"

Steve shook his head defiantly. "You can't know what happened to her. Not until you talk to her. You want to erase all of it based off an assumption?" There was a flicker of desperation on Natasha's face that Steve just barely caught, but the sight of it caused a wriggling suspicion in the back of his mind, and Steve began to see something in Natasha, something that Tony had seen back on the Helicarrier.

"What can Loki possibly do to her that's worse than death?"

Steve had ignored it at the time, brushing it off as Tony just being difficult, but now he remembered it clearly, studying the woman's face. "Kara is tough, Natasha." He said firmly. "You know that. You were going to let her live with everything that happened in Germany. You knew she could handle it."

"This is different!" Natasha snapped.

"How?! How is this different? Because she lived through a little more? Because she helped us win a war? Because you think that one broken bone is going to push her over the edge?" Steve lifted his arms in frustration. "What are you so scared of, Nat? You weren't with her at Stark Tower, but you seem to be pretty certain about what happened there, so why don't you enlighten me?" His voice was growing louder, and a few nurses at the end of the hallway turned their heads to see what the commotion was. Steve didn't seem to care. "Do you really want to mess around in her head because it's better for her? Or because it's easier to suppress everything she's seen than watch her turn into someone exactly like you?"

The stricken look on Natasha's face made him instantly regret his words, but the anger refused to allow him to take it back.

Natasha's face hardened. "This is not your decision, Rogers." Her voice was cold and even, but her eyes held fury. Steve matched her glare stare for stare.

"No, Romanoff." He shot back, "This-" He motioned to the hospital room that held Kara. "-is not your decision."

"I will make the choice that is better for my family!" It was the first time Steve had ever heard the woman shout in anger, but he was not intimidated.

"No." He shook his head. "You're going to make the choice that is better for you, like you always have. You've kept her from this for eighteen years, Natasha." He raised his voice as the redhead began to stalk away, refusing to be ignored. Forcing her to hear his words. "When are you going to accept that you can't control her forever!?"

Natasha turned the corner, and as soon as she was out of sight, Steve felt his temper fade. "Damn it." He looked around to make sure there was no one in the hallway, then reached for the hospital room door, opening it slowly. The interior was dark, the only source of light growing into a small sliver, then disappearing as the door to the hallway clicked shut.

Kara was asleep in the gurney, breathing deeply, damp hair spread around her face like an unruly halo. Steve pulled a chair over to the side of her bed, sitting down with a heavy sigh. "Hey kiddo." He whispered. She didn't respond. He hadn't expected her too. He sat and watched her breathing for a few minutes, and let a small smile tug at his lips. She looked more relaxed than he'd seen since he'd met her. He figured it had more than a little to do with the bag of morphine dripping into her system bit by bit. She shifted and mumbled something in her sleep that Steve didn't understand.

"Russian? Really?" He asked, amused. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised." He noticed that her toes had come uncovered with her movement, and he reached down to tuck the blankets more firmly around her feet. As he sat up again, he examined her arms. Her right arm held a very modern looking cast up to just below the elbow, and the I.V. in that vein seemed to lead to the saline drip. He followed the I.V. in her left wrist with his fingers, and, as he thought, it was attached to a bag of morphine. He lowered his hand to her wrist again. "I know this is really gonna smart when you wake up…" He said by way of apology, lifting the medical tape keeping it in place slowly, "But you…I'm sorry. You have to remember. You have to make this choice yourself." He pulled the needle out as gingerly as possible, spilling a few drops of blood over the white blanket and onto the floor.

Kara whimpered in her sleep and rolled away from him, and Steve couldn't help the soft laugh.

"Really? Of everything that's happened, that hurt you?" He stood, stretching, and, not knowing what else he could do, he left as quietly as he'd entered. Nothing else could be done until she woke up.

He looked back at her one last time before closing the door.

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

Kara's consciousness returned to her slowly, and she laid with her eyes closed for a little bit, floating in the hazy land of half asleep and half awake. Her right arm throbbed, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been before. After a few minutes she grew restless. How long had she been asleep? A couple of hours at the least, and she felt like she could sleep for hours more, but the reason for her wakefulness made itself clear with a loud rumble coming from the direction of her stomach. She was starving. When had she last eaten an actual meal?

She pushed herself upright in the bed and tried to rub the grogginess from her eyes. There was a loud bang, and she jumped nearly out of her skin, her head shooting up.

"Hey Curly!"

Kara cheered up immediately at seeing the man. "Tony! I'm so glad you're okay!"

Tony shrugged nonchalantly, as if coming back from the brink of death was something he did every day, but he was grinning. "Wish I could say the same thing about you. You look like hell. Sorry for breaking your arm, by the way. Can I sign your cast? You know, to make up for it?"

Kara lifted her broken arm with an apologetic smile. "I don't think you can. It's too weird looking."

Tony examined the cast appraisingly. "Interesting design." He commented. "But you're right, makes it kind of difficult to autograph. Here-" He turned to the large paper bag he'd put on the table when he'd first come in and rummaged around in it, emerging with something oblong and wrapped in foil. He tossed it onto Kara's lap, and she could feel the heat of it through the blanket. "How's this instead?"

Kara picked it up carefully, tearing a strip of the foil off the top. A wave of steam streamed out and hit her face. It smelled amazing. Her stomach let out another loud groan, as if asking why she wasn't already chowing down. "This is better than an autograph!" Kara said gratefully.

"Well, I don't know about that, I mean-"

"What is it?"

"It's Shawarma. We all went to get some after securing the Tesseract." Tony handed Kara a few napkins, noting the girl's clumsy movements with her immobilized wrist. "Thought I'd bring some back for you."

"It's so good!"

"Don't talk with your mouth full."

Kara rolled her eyes, swallowing her food. "So what happened after I left? How is everyone?"

Tony lifted his shoulders with a frown. "As far as I can tell, S.H.I.E.L.D has a few agents that are unaccounted for. They're believed to have been under Loki's mind control, so we're not sure what happened to them once he was taken. That's what you're aunt is working on now. Trying to get him to tell us where they are."

Kara folded the empty foil in her hands uncomfortably. "Any news on, um, an Agent Lapsley?"

The man pursed his lips. "Lapsley. Yeah, yeah I think I heard the name thrown around. He's being held."

"Held?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah, they found him in a Quinjet at the top of my building, along with the body of his partner Charleston. Shot in the chest, and there was a bullet missing from Lapsley's weapon. So they're holding him until he can remember what happened."

"What?!"

Tony held up a hand to calm the girl, "Hey don't get upset. What's the issue? You know the guy?"

"He didn't want- He didn't mean to shoot Charleston! Loki made him do it."

"Really? Why?"

Kara looked down. "It…was my fault. I was being difficult. Deliberately trying to make Loki angry, and he made Lapsley shoot Charleston to make me obey him. I couldn't help him…"

Tony looked indifferent. "That's not your fault. From the looks of it, the way all the people under his control just disappeared after he was taken, being shot in the chest might have been the better way to go."

Kara grimaced, "How can you say that?"

"Well, you know what Loki is capable of. You know the guy." Tony's mouth twitched in a teasing smile. "Probably better than any of us do."

The girl's face flushed deep red. "What do I have to do to make you forget everything you saw?"

This drew a huge laugh from the man in the chair next to her. "Curly- The first thing I did when I had a minute to myself was back up the security tapes onto every device I own."

"Oh Christ."

Tony ruffled Kara's hair. "Don't worry, kid. I have embarrassing things on everyone."

Kara looked down, serious again. "Will you pass on what I said about Lapsley?"

Tony nodded, "I will, but I don't think it'll do any good. S.H.I.E.L.D is pretty rigid." He saw the look on Kara's face and frowned. "Don't worry. Worst case scenario, he loses his job."

"How do you know so much about S.H.I.E.L.D.'s judicial system?" Kara inquired, folding up the foil food wrapper into smaller and smaller squares.

Tony held out his hand for the trash, and Kara handed it to him. "I haven't always been on S.H.I.E.L.D's good side."

"You're on S.H.I.E.L.D's good side?"

Tony scoffed indignantly, feigning insult. Kara smiled.

Suddenly, Tony grew serious. "I, uh." He scratched the back of his head. "I saw that you and Loki talked, a lot."

Kara swallowed, feeling like she knew what was coming. She looked down. "Yeah…"

"I mean, I didn't deliberately listen to everything," He hoped the lie didn't show on his face. "But, you know. I caught some of it."

Kara took a deep breath. "I have no proof that he was telling the truth."

"Yeah, well, about that…" Tony met Kara's eyes. "I know what you heard was, well, hard to believe. So I went through the rest of the security cameras." He adjusted slightly and pulled a thin screen out of his back pocket.

Kara took it with raised eyebrows, pressing a button on the bottom. It lit up to reveal a view of a room that had to be from a video camera in the corner of the ceiling. Kara recognized the penthouse that she had been in. Two men stood in the pad, Loki, easily recognizable, stood with his face to the camera. The other man-

"Is that- Is that Clint?"

Tony nodded. "Press play. You need to hear what they talk about." He stood, stretching his arms above his head. "I shouldn't stay." He said to Kara's questioning glance. "I don't need to listen to this twice."

"That bad, huh?" It was supposed to be lighthearted, but her voice came out in a whisper.

Tony didn't say anything, just shoved his hands into his pockets, looking uncomfortable. "I should go. I'll pass on what you said about Lapsley." He left, the door shushing closed behind him.

Kara stared at the doorway where he'd just been. That little interaction hadn't been comforting at all. She looked down at the device in her hands. Did she even want to watch at this point? Tony might as well have just told her that it was exactly as Loki had said. She wished with all her heart that she could just go back to that day two years ago when she'd seen Loki the first time, and taken the bus home.

What would she be doing now, if she was at home with her Babushka? Probably looking at colleges online. Going through the letters of the schools she'd been accepted to. Her Babushka would be giving her advice, telling her what she liked about each option. In the end she would probably suggest applying to the ballet school again, and then Kara would say that she didn't think it was a good fit. It was an old argument.

"You have the talent to be a star!" Her Babushka would say. "Watching you dance, it's like magic!"

"I'm too tall." Was Kara's go to reply. "I bet they wont even accept anyone over 5'6". They'll throw my application away as soon as they see 5'8"." She'd never mention that she had sent in her application months ago, and got nothing but crushing silence as a reply.

Thinking about college sent a wave of anxiety through her, and she couldn't help but smile.

I just helped defeat a demigod, and I'm worried about college applications?

She pressed play on the screen an began to watch.

In many ways, it was better to hear everything from Clint. His voice was monotone, not snide or twisted in some way to try and hurt her. He just stated facts.

In many ways, it was worse. Because he confirmed everything that Loki had said. The lies. The deception. The pain that had been caused, and then wiped out of Kara's memory as easily as dragging a finger over dry-erase marker.

What was almost unbearable, though, was Loki's face as Clint spoke. If it had been pleased, or gloating, Kara could have ignored it. But as Clint spoke, Loki's brow continued to come closer and closer together. He looked angry. No- Kara paused the video and zoomed in on the Asgardian's face. He looked furious, and it was baffling. Surely not for Kara's sake. Hell. He didn't even know her at this point.

She heard loud conversation in the hall, and looked up, hiding the device under the blankets just as the door opened again.

"-tasha hear me out. Maybe it's not all bad, if it's what he's demanding,"

"He's in no place to be making demands, and I'm not waking her up just so he can…" Natasha trailed off when she saw Kara sitting up in bed. "You're awake. Damn it." The hiss was so angry that Kara had to keep herself from flinching.

"Good to see you too." She said in a witheringly bright tone.

Natasha ignored her, striding into the room and grabbing Kara's left arm, flipping it over.

"Hey!" Kara tried to pull her arm back, but her aunt's grip was iron tight. Then she noticed what Natasha had clearly been looking for. A small blotch of discoloration in the crease of her elbow, and in the center of it, a small dot of dried blood, as if there had been a needle in her recently, but it had been removed.

"Steve." Natasha growled, dropping Kara's arm and whirling, as if she was prepared to storm out of the room. "I told him not to interfere."

"Nat-" That was Clint, standing in the doorway, blocking the woman's path. He had a large bandage over the left side of his face. He held up a hand. "We have other things to deal with right now." He nodded to the girl in the bed. "Kara." He said in greeting.

"Agent Barton." Kara replied, putting a nasty twist on the word 'agent'. That was a slap in the face, and Kara knew it. Kara very, very rarely called him anything but 'Uncle Clint'

Natasha turned around visibly trying to calm herself. "Kara." She began. "I'm glad you're safe."

Kara didn't respond, just watched her aunt guardedly.

Clint got bored of the staring match after a while, knowing from experience that Kara was just as stubborn as Natasha. He decided to break the ice.

He moved to take a seat in one of the chairs by Kara's bed, propping his booted feet up on the end of it. "Good to see you in one piece, hon. You had us worried."

Kara looked over at him, running her eyes over his swollen cheek. "Wish I could say the same for you. Sorry for slicing up your face."

Clint smiled a little. "I've had worse."

"Is it going to scar?"

A shrug. "I don't know. I have faith in the doctors that stitched me up, but it's hard to tell." He shook his head when he saw Kara about to apologize again. "It was self defense." He placed a hand on Kara's cheek with a look so intense that Kara felt her heart break. "Besides," He continued, pushing her curls behind her ears. "I would rather have my whole face cut to ribbons than to wake up knowing we'd lost you."

Kara desperately wanted to believe him. Part of her did, but she was wary. She looked back at Natasha. "Well. I can't say it wasn't close…"

"What happened?" Natasha sat down as well.

"I took a shower in the fanciest bathroom I've ever seen, drank expensive whiskey, helped save the world." her shoulders lifted and fell in dismissal. "I mean, aside from the almost dying thing, I'd chalk it up to be a pretty good day." Her eyebrows shot up, as if she'd just remembered something. "Oh! And i had the most interesting discussion with our mutual friend, you know. The demigod."

Clint lifted an eyebrow and looked at Nat. He couldn't help an ironic smile at her expression. "Hey, don't look at me like that. She gets it from you."

"Kara…"

"Hey! Ask me why I left Russia!" Kara said with sarcastic excitement, as if she was showing off a cool trick. "Go on! Do it! It's really cool what happens."

"I know- I know you have a lot of questions." Natasha interrupted. "Please, let me try to explain- Loki, he twists things, its not-"

Kara blanched and uncovered the device Tony had given her, lifting it into the air with her good hand. "I'm gonna have to stop you there."

Natasha snatched the video from Kara. Kara was expecting her to explode in anger, but instead, her expression just grew stonier than before.

She handed the device to Clint, who examined it, before handing it back to Kara, his face equally as emotionless.

"What do you want me to say to you?"

This was also not what Kara had been expecting, and she was unsure how to answer. There really wasn't anything to say, was there? Sorry couldn't fix anything. She swallowed.

"Tell me why." She said finally.

"You know why."

"Well I want to hear it from you." She hadn't meant to shout the last word, it just happened. She tried to clench her fists, but the cast on her right hand made it impossible. "I've heard it from him," She tilted her head towards Clint, "but I want to hear it from you. She was your sister-in-law!"

Natasha took a deep breath, "I know. I know she was. She was, she was amazing, your mom was." She glanced at Clint, and he nodded. Natasha sat, leaning her elbows on her knees. "Okay. I'll tell you all of it, but Kara," She met her niece's intense blue eyes. "Are you sure that you want to hear it?"

Well that was a question and a half. It was Kara's turn to pause and consider. She'd heard near everything from both Loki, and Clint's recording. Did it really matter if she heard it from Natasha as well?

Yes. She decided. It did matter. Because even after everything she'd heard, she knew there had to be more to it. There was always more. She nodded. "Yes. I want to hear it."

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

"Your dad and I were working for a man, Don Shanov, in Russia. Well to do. It was just us, and the landlady. She sort of adopted us. She didn't know, of course, what Alexeii and I did. We paid the rent, and we helped her with groceries and sat with her at meals. It was enough. We were always looking for other…Assignments. Something that paid more. We were good at what we did. We hurt… We murdered… A lot of people. You have to understand, Kara- we were raised to be killers. We were built from the ground up, between violin lessons and ballet- we were taught to use weapons, be invisible. As a child in that part of Russia, it was kill or be killed. So it's what we did. We destroyed livelihoods, we sabotaged, and we grew and we became masters at our craft.

"And then Sonja came along. She was beautiful. Dan Shanov's daughter. Curly hair. Blue eyes. That was always a weakness for Alexeii. I told him not to touch her. We were assassins. We were nothing but worker bees to Shanov. 'You'll be killed if you so much as look at her,' I told him, 'The girl is a walking disaster.' But Alexeii always said he knew better than me. He was older. I guess Sonja had a think for redheaded assassins. She took a liking to Alexeii too. It wasn't long before they became lovers. I knew it was a mistake. If Don Shanov had found out, He would have skinned Alexeii alive. Me too.

"It went on like this for a few months, until one winter, Sonja was walking. She was high, as usual, on anything she could get her hands on, and she got herself kidnapped by a crew run by a man called Artem, who was by far Don Shanov's most powerful rival. Artem wanted a ransom for Sonja, but Don Shanov was too much of a miser to pay, so he sent Alexeii to dispose of him. It wasn't easy, Alexeii was gone for four days, tracking, planning, setting up the perfect escape. I don't know the details, and that's the truth. He never talked about it. All I know is that as soon as he brought Sonja back to Don Shanov, they came clean about their love affair. And Shanov accepted it. He even gave them his blessing.

"It wasn't long before Sonja was pregnant. She didn't stop using through her whole pregnancy, even though we all warned her. A week before her due date, Artem's brother attacked our warehouse. We weren't prepared. Alexeii and I barely got out with Sonja, but the whole place was burned to the ground. Sonja lost her father, and her brothers. She went into labor that night, and it was…God, it was awful. You were born in an alley, right on the ground. there were moments when we didn't think either of you would make it. You were pushed right into my hands, and you were so tiny, and blue. I was so sure you were dead. I just took off with you, Sonja was screaming so loud. I took you to my landlady. I don't think I'd ever cried before that day. I just gave her this little blue baby, and kept telling her it was dead. She looked at me like I was crazy, and flipped you upside down like an ugly fish and patted your back, and you just coughed. Kara- I can't…I can't explain how that one little, gross, wet noise- it was like music. I was able to take you back to Sonja, laying in the alley, and hand her her tiny child. I thought Alexeii would faint from happiness. They named you Katyenka. Katyenka Romanova.

"It wasn't all happy after that though. You went through severe withdrawal because of Sonja's habit. Cocaine, meth, heroin, anything you can thing of. You should have died. But you didn't. We had to work though. Alexeii and I went back to what we were best at, and Sonja stayed with you. She had to stay hidden, Artem's brother and his men were still looking for her. She hit the drugs even harder, and to get you out of the house, our Landlady, your Babushka, now, took you to ballet. What we didn't know then, but know now, was that during those seven and a half years, Alexeii and I were getting a little too well known. The people we were killing were too important. We got on S.H.I.E.L.D's radar. And Sonja began a secret alliance with Artem's brother in exchange for her safety, and the safety of her child. In return, she would give them Alexeii and I.

"Alexeii knew something was going on, and when you were 7 years old, he found out the truth about Sonja, but he didn't let on that he knew. It broke his heart, and he and I began to plan some sort of escape, but we were trapped, by our obligations to our current employer, and by our love for you. Neither of us could stand to leave you behind and watch you grow up into the life we led, or worse, turn out like Sonja. If we left, just cut and run, there would have been too many angry people on our trail. All three of us would have been dead within the month. So we planned to kill Artem's brother, but we never got the chance. On the night we left to do it, he and I were ambushed by a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Agent Clint Barton. He was supposed to kill us, but he says he saw desperation on our faces. He chose to help us instead.

"No, he didn't help us kill Artem's brother, or any of his men, but he helped us plan an escape. A new job in S.H.I.E.L.D. Spies, not assassins. We would change our names. Change our lives. Create a better home for you in America. Hide away. Leave Sonja and her people in Stalingrad. And it would have worked. We got the papers from S.H.I.E.L.D for the four of us. You would be Karaline, taking Babushka's last name. Karaline Stockholm, no longer Katyenka Romanova. Alexeii Romanova would be Alexander Stockholm. And I would, in all accounts and paper trails, no longer be related to any of you. Not a Stockholm, or Natalia Romanova. But Natasha Romanoff.

"Sonja found the papers. I thought they were hidden, but she found them, and her dismay at our betrayal, as ironic as it sounds, drove her mad. She went straight to Artem's remaining men, and his brother sent at least 10 assassins to the house. It was a stroke of luck that Sonja left the papers out, otherwise we wouldn't have known she'd seen them, and we probably wouldn't have gotten out. It was even more fortunate that Clint was there. He saved all of us. They set the building on fire. Sonja didn't seem to care that you were in it. Alexeii took you to the roof, got you and Babushka in a helicarrier, and Clint and I took care of the men. We didn't have a choice, Kara. I wish I could say that Sonja's death was quick, but the building was caving in. Clint and I forced her and two other assassins into a bedroom and locked them in. There was so much fire at that point- The whole building collapsed as we got in the helicarrier with you and your dad. We barely made it.

"And- we wanted a fresh start. For everyone. You were too young to understand, but too old to forget what had happened. We agreed to tell you when you were older- but Kara, you weren't even eight years old. We couldn't, it was an impossible decision, but we couldn't let you keep those memories. We wanted you to adjust as quickly as possible. So we took it away. I know you remember bits and pieces, we wanted you to. Ballet, picnics, good things. And we erased everything about your mother. It crushed your father to do that, but we all thought it was for the best. She wanted you dead, near the end. There was no reason for you to remember anything good about her.

"And then you got older, and you just- You look just like her. Her hair was more brown than yours, you got the red undertones from your father, along with your freckles, and you're taller than Sonja ever was, but other than that- It's like looking at a photograph. It was hard for him. Too hard. We don't have any proof, but there is talk- it is said by some- that Your dad's death wasn't an accident. That he took his own life. I don't want to believe that. I don't want you to believe that. He loved you. He wouldn't have left you, you were his entire world. Kara, I know that this is hard. It won't stop being hard. Especially because you won't be able to remember a lot of what we took away, and trying too will only make it harder. But please believe me when I tell you that it was for your own good. We were trying to keep you safe. In the end, Kara, you left Russia because your dad wanted, all he ever wanted, was for you to have a better life. A life he was never given the option to have."

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

Kara had been listening to all of this in stunned silence. She swallowed a hard lump in her throat, not knowing what to say.

"You should have told me years ago." She said finally. Her throat was dry.

"I know. And I am…I am so sorry." There was a barely audible catch in Natasha's throat, and Clint reached over Kara's bed to take her hand.

"I am too." He said, looking at Kara. "It was on all of us to tell you, and for you to have found out the way you did- I'll never forgive myself."

Kara rubbed her cast absently, looking down at her broken fingernails. "What do I do now?" She asked. She met her aunt's eyes. "Where do we go from here? Back to school? Pretend nothing happened? Try to get back to a normal life?" She meant it seriously. "Because…I don't think, after everything- I don't think I can just go back to that life."

"Well, there are a couple of options." Clint leaned back in his chair, as did Natasha. "You can't even apply to become a S.H.I.E.L.D agent until you're twenty-one, and you're what, nineteen now?"

"I'll turn nineteen in November."

"Ah, so thats a few months away yet. And to be honest, you can't go back to any sort of life until you've learned to control your, uh, thing."

"Pardon?" Kara arched an eyebrow.

"Your mutation." Natasha clarified. "Whatever you choose to do, you can't be reintegrated into civilian society until you have your, what is it, memory thing? Under control. It would be irresponsible."

Kara was still a little bit in shock. Everything was happening all at once, and she needed time to process. "Um, okay. How do I do that?"

Clint and Natasha made brief eye contact, there were generally two ways people reacted to this next part, and there was no way of knowing which one Kara would be.

"There's this…Institution," Clint began, "For mutants. It's like a school. They'll help you figure out what you're capable of, but also how to control it. Most agent's with mutations go there for at least a little bit."

"I saw you use it by choice on Doctor Selvig," Natasha cut in, "I know you've already got some semblance of control over it."

Kara looked dubious. "I don't know. What is this school? Where is it?"

"It's called Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. And I'm gonna be honest," Natasha crossed her arms. "It's not a shabby mutation you've got. If you knew how to control it, there are a lot of ways you could already be helping us."

This piqued Kara's interest, "How so?"

"Well, for starters, those missing agents." Clint said with pursed lips. "Loki knows where they are, but he's not talking. We can't let him go until we've located them, which means we're stuck with him and Thor until we start getting some answers. If you could control what you see, you could get into his head and figure out where they are. No one's saying that right now though!" He added quickly, seeing Natasha scowl at him. "You still have to rest."

"When you are feeling up to it, though, Loki has shown interest in speaking to you again." Kara's face went pale, and Natasha shook her head, "There will be an armed guard at all times, and you wouldn't even be in the same room as him. Speaking through glass. The truth is, the sooner we find these agents, the better chance we have of finding them alive. You might be able to learn something without using any special tricks. You're the only person he's asked to speak to. Play your cards right, and you might be able to get an answer or two out of him."

Kara took a deep breath, then made to stand. "I'll go now."

Natasha pushed her firmly back down into the pillows. "Not now."

"But you just said-"

"You need a full briefing before you go into an interrogation room with a prisoner, and we don't have time to arrange one for today. Tomorrow, maybe, if you're feeling well enough."

Kara affirmed this with a nod. "I'll do my best."

Natasha put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. "You're a good kid, Kara. I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, I want you to know that." She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Kara's forehead before leaving.

Clint lingered a little while longer, talking with Kara about relatively mundane things, like her 'funny blonde friend, the chubby one.'

Kara reminded him of Emmy's name for the hundredth time, and asked him if he'd read any good books recently. The casual talk was comforting, if, at that point, a little surreal. Eventually Clint had to go, but he promised to be back the next day, when they would check Kara out of the infirmary and make a decision on if or when she would be going to what Kara had started referring to as "Mutant School."

Kara sighed a breath of relief when he was finally gone, pressing her thumb into the bruise in her left elbow to see if it hurt. After confirming that it did, in fact, twinge, she pushed the covers off of herself and got out of bed gingerly, walking slowly to the window, pulling the metal rod behind her that held the saline drip.

The room was small, but there was a tiny table in the corner, and Kara made her way to it, opening the shades and squinting at the harsh light that filtered through them.

She was several floors up, looking out over a large lake that she's seen when she was driven to the facility. Trees stretched up into the sky, casting shadows over the lake and the neat lawn that began from the bottom of the building to the thick tree line. The place was certainly remote. Kara didn't think she'd be able to find it again, and she hadn't even been blindfolded in the car that took her here.

She sat for a minute, staring out, lost in her own thoughts. She tried to remember her mother, but stopped when it gave her a headache. Her mind kept going back to what Natasha had mentioned about coming to America. Kara had an entire life she barely remembered. She was born in an alley! She had a mother! She had once been a girl named Katyenka Romanova. She wondered what Katyenka had been like. That little Russian speaking girl she could barely remember. What was her favorite food? Was it still strawberries? Or was that strictly a "Karaline Stockholm" thing.

A thought came to her, and she lifted her left hand, palm up. "Please work," She urged herself quietly, and gently laid her hand over her bare forearm.

Nothing happened. Well. She hadn't really expected it too. She'd only been able to do it on command once, and she had no idea how she'd even made that work.

But maybe…Maybe with a little training at the mutant school…

There was a polite knock, and then the door swung open quickly. "Oh no-" Steve took a few fast steps towards the empty bed before looking around frantically. There was a visible exhale of relief when he saw her by the window. "Don't scare me like that!"

Kara couldn't help the tears that sprung to her burning eyes. "Steve-" She choked, holding out her arms to him.

He rushed her, pulling her to her feet and embraced her tightly, gripping the back of her head through her curls, as if he didn't hold on hard enough, she would fall away.

Kara threw her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry," She hiccuped. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I tried," She gasped through her sobs, "I tried to stay where you left me. I did my best- It wasn't enough."

"No, no." Steve shushed her. "I shouldn't have left you with the scepter. It was stupid of me. Hell, it was probably the stupidest thing I've ever done." He made to let go of her, but felt Kara tighten her arms around him. "I thought you were going to die, when Loki took you." He murmured into her hair. "The look on his face-" He recalled the look of fury that had been in the man's eyes, and hugged the girl a little closer to him.

Kara was silent for a little bit. She could feel Steve's pulse through the warm skin of his neck against her cheek, and closed her eyes, letting that feeling of security flow through her. When she could finally speak, she said, "I thought I was going to die too. The whole time, I was just waiting for it to happen. In the QuinJet, at Stark Tower, I thought…I'd never see…" She was grateful that Steve couldn't see her blush. She let go of him slowly, wiping her eyes. "Sorry," she motioned to one of the chairs by the bed. "Sit! Sit down! I have to tell you something! Also do you have any food?"

Steve frowned, digging in his jeans pocket. "I have a granola bar?" Kara looked pleadingly at him, and he smiled. "Yes, you can have it. Here, let me get a chair." He tossed the food to her lightly and grabbed one of the chairs by the bed and sat down across the table from the girl. "Okay, what's the word? Wow, you ate that fast."

Kara told him everything she'd learned. What Loki had told her, and what she'd seen on the tape Tony had brought.

Steve was silent when she was finished. He ran a hand through his short cropped blond hair and let out a breath. "Holy moly." He said, meeting her eyes. "So now what?"

"They want me to go to this 'School for the Gifted,' or something." Kara shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know how to feel about it, but I guess I can't really walk around making people see the past and future whenever I shake their hands."

Steve looked thoughtful. "You'd be going into college back in New Mexico, right? This might be really good actually. I've heard of this school, apparently it's the cat's meow. It's here in New York, you could learn a lot."

Kara was relieved that he thought so. She looked down at the table, "Do you think," She stopped, biting her lip.

"Pardon?"

Kara shrugged nonchalantly, "Do you think maybe, if I go, that you'll visit me?"

Steve was surprised, then a smile spread over his face. "You're such a cookie." Kara scowled.

"I'm a what?"

The man didn't specify, just chuckled to himself. "Of course I'll visit you. It's not like you'll be out in the boondocks."

Kara grinned in relief. "I have no idea what you're saying," She laughed. "But I'm glad you'll come see me. I don't wanna be sent off to Ghoul School and be completely alone."

Steve went to chuck her under the chin, and she twisted her mouth in amusement, swatting at his hand playfully. "You won't be alone, kiddo. I bet I could help you with your homework!"

"Great." Kara smirked at him. "If I have to write any papers on World War II I'll let you do them for me."

"Deal."

Kara meant to reply, but a huge yawn escaped her mouth just as she opened it, catching her by surprise. She tried to lift her mouth to cover it, but forgot her right hand was out of commission and banged the cast against her teeth. Steve guffawed at her.

"I'll let you sleep, kiddo." He ignored the girl's embarrassed glare. "You need to heal up." He helped her over to her gurney and lifted her into it, causing Kara to squeak in surprise.

"Careful!" she hissed, "I'm not wearing undies under this hospital gown, don't Marilyn Monroe me!"

Steve paused in tucking the covers around her, furrowing his brow. "Marilyn Monroe you?"

"You know, Marilyn Monroe? Sex icon? The fifties? Wind gust equals iconic flying skirt photo?"

Steve shook his head. "The fifties huh? That might have been after I was frozen. And isn't that way before your time?"

Kara shrugged her shoulders as Steve adjusted her I.V. stand, "I said it was iconic."

"I'll have to look it up."

"Just make sure you put her name in the search bar, not 'sex icon, the fifties,' that could be interesting.

Steve widened his eyes in mock seriousness. "I'll try to keep that in mind."

"It might ruin your innocence." Kara feigned concern.

This made Steve cackle "You do know I was in the army, right? Any innocence I might have had is long gone."

"Yet you're still such a gentleman." Kara beamed as he made his way to the door. He turned and offered the girl an ironic bow. Kara imitated his serious look and lifted her arms, as if she was curtseying. "Have a splendid evening, good sir!" She crowed, trying not to laugh.

Steve put on his best english accent, "You as well, fair lady."

That was it. Kara dissolved into a helpless puddle of giggles as Steve left the room.

Maybe this whole thing won't be so bad. She thought. Sure, things were crazy, and every passing minute it felt like her life was spiraling out of control, but there was Steve. She'd only known him for a day at most, but there was something sturdy about him. He seemed to understand her. Her reluctance to be used or manipulated.

"Steve." She whispered his name out loud. It felt good to say. Steve. It was something, someone, to hold on to.


	9. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual, I'm sorry for the typos! That's the thing I hate about using Copy and Paste. Sometimes it glitches and cuts words and stuff

Kara sat in the plastic chair, trying not to let her expression change to reflect how nervous she was. No. Nervous was the wrong word, but she didn't know what the right word would be. How did one explain an almost painful urge to vomit mixed with the need to pee or cry? She didn't know.

She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder, and looked up into Clint's face. "We'll be right outside the door." He reassured her, "And there will be two guards in the room for the whole time."

Kara nodded, thumbing the hem of the knit sweater Connie, the nurse, had found God knows where. She understood that Clint and Natasha couldn't be in the room with her. She was trying to get information, and Loki would only speak to her, and he very well might not speak at all if she was accompanied by her aunt or uncle.

With a reassuring squeeze of her shoulder, Clint left, and the girl took a shaky breath. Natasha had gone over a list of tactics and questions with her. She could do this.

"Keep him focused on the missing agents." She'd repeated over and over. "We can only guess that he wants to talk to you because you'll be easier to manipulate. Don't let him do that. Don't give him an opening." Kara had almost rolled her eyes at that.

"I didn't let him before." She said. "I'm not even going to let him try again."

The door a the other end of the room opened, and she looked up, grinding her teeth. Loki was flanked by two guards, each of them armed and holding a length of chain in their gloved hands. The chains were connected to the heavy manacles that engulfed Loki's wrists like conjoined twin boa constrictors.

He was forced roughly into the chair across the table from Kara and the chains secured to it, pulling his arms forward. Kara was surprised to see that the palms of his hands were criss crossed with angry red welts, and a few of the fingernails on his left hand were missing.

"Were they torturing you?" She asked without thinking, and without looking into his face.

"Perhaps. Why? Do you pity me?"

Kara looked up into his eyes, and the list of tactics and questions in her mind scattered like frightened sheep in the face of his wolf's grin.

"No." She said quickly, forcing herself not to look down, but to stare back into his eyes. "Besides. We both know you can take a beating. I can't imagine anything S.H.I.E.L.D can do compares."

Loki's smile faltered for just a second, coming back steely. "I'm surprised to see you again so soon. Even more surprised to see you sane. I got the impression that S.H.I.E.L.D would cart you off to their little memory erasing camp."

"I didn't come here to talk about me." Kara shrugged.

"Then why are you here?"

"You tell me. You're the one that requested my presence. If you would rather go back to have the rest of your fingernails ripped out, I'm sure that can be arranged." Kara made as if to stand.

"You want the missing agents?"

Kara sat again, slowly, trying to look indifferent. "I'm not S.H.I.E.L.D. I don't care about missing agents."

Loki chuckled, "Now, I think we both know that's not true. Charleston could attest to that." His eyes glinted evilly, "If he were still alive, of course."

Kara swallowed, "You look proud of yourself. You must have done something awfully clever to be gloating like that. Why don't you share the joke?"

Loki's grin curved into a flirtatious smile, and the sight nauseated Kara. From his laughing eyes, she knew he could tell the effect it had on her.

"Wouldn't you like to know." He leaned forward, cocking a brow. "To sing my praise to your comrades."

Kara leaned forward herself, a small smile pulling at her own lips. "You know that's what I live to do." She hoped she sounded sultry. She'd never tried before. "All you have to do is tell me what to sing. What makes you so much smarter than the rest of us?"

"The rest of them." Loki offered generously.

Kara narrowed her eyes. "Was that a compliment?"

Loki blew a breath of air through his nose in amusement. "Surely a girl as…lovely…as you isn't so starved for compliments that you'll create one from an otherwise harmless statement."

Ha. Kara thought. Caught you. She hadn't missed the way his voice caught a bit when he'd called her lovely. He didn't like her any more than she liked him, and he wasn't having an easier time concealing it. Kara licked her lips. "You know, you could just tell me where you left the agents. Then we could drop the polite pretense and say what we really feel."

That made the raven haired Asgardian snicker. "As delightful as that sounds, I'm not about to give up the delicious sight of watching you try so hard."

Kara could feel the blush rise in her cheeks, but couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger.

"Well." She said finally, "Fine. If the only reason you wanted to talk to me was to mock me, I guess we're done here."

Loki shrugged as much as he could. "Perhaps you'd like to make a deal."

Natasha had prepared Kara for this, feeding her the line she was to say over and over again.

"You're in no position to be making deals," She began to say, but stopped herself. She could read Loki's face like a book.

It said, 'My, you are a good little puppet, aren't you? Go on. Say it. Make your Aunty proud.'

Kara didn't know the casual lift of an eyebrow could sound so condescending. She sighed.

"Okay. I'm intrigued. What did you have in mind?"

"Every agent is, for the time being, alive. With the means to stay that way."

Well. That was a relief at least.

"Where are they?"

"Now now, you do know the definition of a deal. Allow me to finish. Every week, I will give you the location of one of them."

"And what do you get out of this?" Kara wanted to know.

"Isn't it obvious? The torture stops. Today."

Kara couldn't help a small smile. "I'm sure that can be arranged, due to the fact that it was probably more for spite than actual results."

"My sentiments exactly."

Kara wasn't a fool though. She felt fairly confident that there was more to it than that. "What's the catch." She asked, tilting her head.

"And what makes you think there is one?"

"Because it's you." Kara replied. She squinted in sudden recollection. "You planned all of this in advance. Was it a safety precaution? Or did you expect to lose?"

Loki's eyes glittered in intrigue. "You're quick." He said, so quietly that Kara barely heard him. "So many questions. Maybe you'll get your answers. Of course you're right. There is a catch."

Kara mentally began to construct a rebuttal.

"You, Katyenka Romanova, have to be the one to receive the name and location."

Kara's breath escaped in a rush. "What?!"

"Don't be dense." Loki sighed impatiently. "I will give the locations to you and you alone."

Outside the room, Natasha fumed, preparing to storm in and end the interrogation. Clint gripped her arm.

"You have to let her deal with this." He hissed, "He's not going to stop toying with us. With her. He has to keep thinking of Kara as a wild card, or we lose every opening we have with him."

"But what if she says yes?" Natasha snapped back. "What if she agrees-"

"Then she comes here every week and gets a location. We're running out of viable options. You know torture isn't going to get anything out of him. He openly mocks the agents assigned to it."

Natasha frowned in agitation, pressing her ear to the door again.

Kara, finally blinking away her shock, gasped incredulously. "Who the bloody hell do you think you are to be demanding that? You're in chains, dura! You don't get to ask for shit!"

"No?" He sounded unmoved by her outburst. "I have the location of every missing agent under my control."

"You know," Kara threw up her hands, holding her thumb and forefinger up with barely a sliver of space between them. "I was this close to almost, maybe, considering, feeling bad for you."

"How disheartening. I thought you were at least almost considering it." Loki replied sarcastically. "I must have misread you."

Kara didn't think before reacting. She plunged an unbroken nail on her left hand into the tender, exposed nail bed at the end of Loki's bruised finger, where his own fingernail should have been. Blood welled up beneath her finger as Loki furrowed his brow in mock discomfort.

"Ooh." His jaw twitched in a barely concealed smile. "Don't do that again. It tickles."

"You know, I could just force it out of you" Kara tried to regain some semblance of control as she extracted her nail from Loki's flesh.

"Really. It's been what, a day? And you've already become a master of your gift? Impressive. If a tad unbelievable."

Kara scowled. He was right, of course. She doubted that she could muster the energy to call upon her mutation, even if she knew how, and there was no guarantee that she could control what she saw either.

"Alright." She said slowly. "Suppose I agree. Why."

"I like to watch you squirm." It was a lie, and he was sure she knew. But the reality of the situation was far too mundane to expose.

Boredom. He knew eventually the agents would break their links to him, as his control over them weakened with every passing day. And then he would be shipped back off to Asgard to be tried. But there was no need to rush things. And at least here was some entertainment to keep his mind sharp.

"Fine." The girl said, standing quickly. "Anything else I can do for your majesty?" Her voice dripped scorn.

Loki smirked. "I could use a pillow for my cell."

Kara glared. "I hope they make you sleep on the concrete."

"Ouch," Loki hummed as the guards moved forward to unchain him from the table. "Not very nice."

"Eat shit."

"See you next week."

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Kara stepped out of the room, and was unsurprised to be immediately ambushed by her aunt.

"You didn't have to agree with him you know." It was almost, but not quite, a scold.

"Yeah, and?" Kara didn't have patience to deal with the woman's criticism at the moment. She was frustrated and flustered, and could really, really go for some comfort food. Maybe ice cream. Maybe Thai food. Maybe both. She could do both. Her stomach growled. She would ask if they could stop to get some on their way to New Mexico. She still felt a surge of panic when she thought about going back there, but she didn't know why. She wanted to tell Emmy that she'd be back, but other than the obvious problem that she didn't have a believable story as to why she'd been gone, she still hadn't been given back her phone, which had been found in her hotel room in Germany and confiscated. Clearly they didn't trust her with social media, which was going to be a problem.

Also, she didn't really know how long she'd be back for. The way her aunt had explained it- they could be back for anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Kara was to pack up all of her necessities that she would need at the mutant school and say goodbye to her grandmother, and to her old life.

"You didn't follow the guidelines." Natasha chastised, bringing Kara back into the present.

She shrugged. "You told me to use my own jurisdiction. I know Loki better than anyone, except for Thor. And Thor wasn't there. You said so yourself." She looked to her aunt. "You also said we'd be separated by glass. And we weren't. I was caught off guard from the start."

"Well," Natasha huffed, looking uncomfortable, "I would-"

Kara wheeled on her. "Look," She said, trying to control her temper. "I don't really care what you would have done. I'm not you, okay? You may have been listening at the door, but you weren't in that room. Loki knew what he wanted when he walked in, and nobody would have gotten a better deal out of him. I'm telling you this, because I know. I know him, okay? Just- trust my judgement with this one." To her surprise, Natasha backed off, holding her hands up and looking resigned.

"Okay." She said, like she was trying to calm a startled animal. "Okay. Okay? I believe you. Do you need anything else before we get on the jet?"

Kara looked down at herself, patting the pockets of her jeans, now much faded from the several washings it had taken to get the blood out. "I don't think so. I didn't have anything on me when I was taken to Stark Tower. I don't suppose my teeshirt survived?"

"It turned brown when we tried to get the blood out. Sorry." Clint looked truly apologetic, as if he'd failed to repair a treasured piece of jewelry.

"Eh. Don't worry about it. It's nothing I can't replace for five bucks at the nearest GAP. Besides." She stroked the soft scarlet sweater she now wore. "This is comfier."

Clint smiled. "It was Rebecca, the intern's. She said to keep it."

"Tell Rebecca the intern I said thanks." Kara looked back to Natasha. "I guess I'm good to go then. Who's all coming?"

"Just you, me, and Steve on the plane there. Clint's gonna head to the school to iron some things out, and he'll meet us there."

Kara tried to swallow her anxiety. "Alright. Let's go then." And they did, with a final hug to Clint, and a nod to Tony, the trip boarded the plane.

It was, well, a very nice plane. Quite different from the Quinjet. Even much different than the Helicarrier. Kara had never been in anything like it.

"Whoa…" She gaped, taking a seat at a table. "It's just like the ones in the movies!"

Natasha smiled to herself, taking her own seat and opening her laptop. Steve sat across from the girl and widened his eyes with a comical frown.

"Well! Are you excited to be going back to New Mexico?"

"I guess, yeah. It'll be good to see Babushka. She's probably been worried sick."

"No, she hasn't."

Both Steve and Kara looked over to the redhead, waiting for her to continue.

"Your trip to Germany would have ended yesterday. We'll just tell her one of the kids in your class had a family emergency so you were able to get on an earlier flight back to the U.S."

"You think she's going to believe they were able to get a group of twenty-six onto an earlier flight?"

Natasha shrugged. ""She's sixty-three, and from Russia. What does she know about American airlines?"

Kara had to admit that was true. "Huh." She said. "Good thinking." The compliment seemed to startle Natasha, who had evidently been expecting Kara to argue. She hid her pleased expression by looking down to her laptop screen.

Kara looked back to Steve. "Not to sound ungrateful, but why are you coming? Surely America's cookie cutter superhero has a social life? A "People's Magazine," photoshoot or something?"

Steve snorted. "Who would want to see me on the cover of a magazine?"

"Yeah, you're probably right."

"Hey!"

Natasha watched the pair trade playful banter for a while before Kara turned to look out the window, a grin on her face as she watched the clouds. The spy didn't fail to notice how Steve's gaze lingered on the young woman's face before he looked down and chuckled at something she said. He pressed his finger to the window and murmured something very quietly. Kara shot her eyes to him, looking appalled.

"Steve!" Natasha heard the girl gasp, "Naughty! You have a gutter mind!"

Steve shushed her, laughing, and looked sheepishly over to meet Natasha's gaze. The redhead rolled her eyes and returned to her computer.

"I totally see it now that you said it though," The hushed whisper was followed by a storm of snickering.

Now there was something Natasha hadn't seen coming. At first, she'd thought Kara's almost instant attachment to the man had simply been the lingering effects of hero worship. That she'd seen Steve come to her rescue on multiple occasions, and had been unable to help the affection she felt. Natasha had seen it before. Not for herself, of course. It didn't seem to affect men, for some reason, but in women that Clint, Steve, Tony, or even Director Fury had saved.

And, of course, Steve's fondness for the girl could easily be explained away as Protector Syndrome, or even the Florence Nightingale Effect*. But Steve had never fallen victim to things like that before, and he'd been around plenty of women he'd saved, and for much longer periods of time than he'd known Kara.

No, this was something else. And Natasha wasn't quite sure how she felt about the pairs obvious compatibility. In some ways, she actually approved. Steve was, through and through, generally a good person. She and him had their issues of course, but it was a rare person indeed that Natasha didn't have issues with. And, well. He was a hell of a lot better than that college sophomore that had been hanging around when Kara was a freshman in high school. Babushka herself had called Natasha about that one, and it had been dealt with quickly and quietly, after Natasha called in a few favors.

But on the other hand...She didn't know. Maybe she just didn't like the idea of her young niece with her coworker. And it wasn't like they were working office jobs either! What if they faced another attack like the one in New York, and Steve was too distracted by keeping Kara safe that he got himself or another agent killed?

No. Natasha had to admit to herself that was unlikely. Steve was a professional. He'd held his own during the last attack. Everyone had. She didn't really see that last fear being a real issue. But still. She shook her head. No. Steve was an adult. Kara was, well, almost an adult. Eighteen, almost nineteen. They could handle themselves in this situation without Natasha's interference. Still… She just hoped that no one got hurt in the process. And besides, She thought with a relieved sigh. It could be worse. She could be falling in love with Tony.

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*The Florence Nightingale effect is a situation where a caregiver develops romantic and/or sexual feelings for his/her patient, even if very little communication or contact takes place outside of basic care.

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"Karaline!" The thin, grey haired woman exclaimed in heavily accented English when she opened the door. "You are back early!" Her 'r's sounded like rain on a tin roof, heavy and warm. Kara threw herself into her grandmother's arms.

She'd expected to feel colder towards the tall woman, now that she knew that she wasn't really her father's mother. But, she realized, Babushka didn't know that. Her mind had been manipulated just as Kara's had been. So to her, Kara really was her granddaughter.

Not, Kara thought as she breathed in the familiar scent of her home, that the woman would love her any less even if she knew the truth.

"My baby," The older woman murmured in Russian. "Moy rebenok." It was then that she seemed to notice Natasha and Steve standing on the steps.

"AY!" She cried excitedly. "Natasha! My dear, you are more beautiful every time I see you! You never visit anymore!"

Natasha leaned forward to kiss the woman's cheek. "Hello, gran."

"It has been too long!" The woman said in a dire voice, tapping Natasha's nose lightly. "Too long, girl. And who's this?"

Steve held out a hand with a boyish grin. "I'm Steve, it's a pleasure to meet you-" He looked surprised when the old lady pulled him to her to kiss both his cheeks.

"Steve." She said with a smile. "I am Alyona. But you call me Babushka, yes?"

"Of course."

Alyona wheeled on her granddaughter. "What have you done to your arm? And why are you bruised and scratched? And why are you home so early?"

Kara sighed, "Ay, Babushka, it's a long story."

The four sat at the kitchen table over steaming mugs of tea, while Kara explained to her grandmother the story that Natasha had told her to tell.

"It's a really great school," She said. "I'm too tall to be accepted into any real dance school. But this school specializes in training dancers that are rejected from other ones. Dancers of all sorts! I could learn to do all sorts of dances, not just ballet!"

Alyona looked to Natasha for confirmation, and the woman nodded. "But why do they train tall dancers? If other schools won't?

"Uh-" Kara thought fast, "Most schools want all their dancers to all be a uniform size, so they match in a line, but this one is specifically to continue the education of people who wouldn't get the chance to otherwise. And they train us for things like music videos, or photographers! Where they want a specific, unique look. For aesthetic reasons and such."

"Well," Alyona huffed. "That is all fine and well. But why do you have to leave now? You just graduated school a few weeks ago, surely they won't be accepting new students until August at the earliest."

"There's a long waiting list to get in, gran." Natasha cut in. "I made a few calls, and they want to get her started right away, before the semester starts. She's been out of classes for a few months now, right? She's got a lot of ground and lost time to make up for."

"It's true." Kara confirmed. "I need to start practicing again as soon as possible." The look of dejection on her Babushka's face was heartbreaking, and Kara went to her, "Oh Babushka, I won't be gone forever. Obeshchayu, I'll write. And I'll still have Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays!" She put her arms around the woman, and Alyona leaned her cheek against her granddaughter's arms.

"You know that I am happy that you found a school to dance. I am just not happy that it is so far away." She looked at Natasha, "And you, girl. Will you have Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays?"

Natasha rolled her eyes in the face of an old argument. "You know I can't promise anything, old woman. I do my best."

Alyona sniffed indignantly, her eyes falling on the uncomfortable looking Steve. "I still do not understand why you are here."

"Uh-" Steve stalled, unable to come up with a lie as quickly as Natasha and Kara seemed to be able to.

"He's the handyman from the school, Babushka." Kara said quickly. "To help me with my bags."

"Handyman, you say?" Alyona looked thoughtful. "Do you know how to fix a leaky faucet?"

Natasha looked at the ceiling in exasperation.

"I'm sure I can take a look at it." Steve nodded.

"Tomorrow, Gran. It's late, and Kara has had a long flight. She needs to sleep. We all do."

The old woman shook Kara off of her gently and stood, "Yes, yes. Of course. Kara, to your room, my love. I will see you in the morning. Go now, chit." She smacked Kara lightly on the bottom as the girl left the room.

"Babushka!" Kara cried in dismay and embarrassment. "I'm not twelve!"

"How did the school manage to get twenty-six people on an earlier flight at the same time?" Kara heard Alyona ask as she made her way up the stairs to her room. She smiled to herself as she closed the door, taking in the familiar sight of her bed, and the rest of her stuff. To her surprise, all the clothing she'd brought to Germany with her was neatly folded and back in their correct drawers.

She didn't want to think about how S.H.I.E.L.D had managed that, not really enjoying the idea of a masked agent sitting in the middle of her room, folding her laundry and ready to leap out the window at the sound of her Babushka coming up the stairs.

She made a controlled fall face first onto her bed, breathing deeply. How many times in the last few days had she been sure she'd never make it back to her home? How many times had she thought she would be brutally murdered without the chance to see her Babushka again? Too many. Too many times. She felt like she'd aged ten years since Wednesday.

She didn't remember falling asleep.

Natasha peeked her head in on her way to Alexeii's old room. Steve would be on the couch downstairs, insisting on being a gentleman and giving Natasha the bed. Natasha knew it was just for the sake of Alyona, because she'd fought Steve tooth and nail before for the only bed in a single room motel on plenty of foreign missions. Natasha hadn't argued this time.

She sighed when she saw Kara, still fully dressed, and on top of her covers. She thought about waking the girl up, but decided against it. Instead she turned the light off and closed the door, letting the girl sleep.

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxx

Kara woke late the next morning, sun from her window filtering in and hitting her closed eyes. She squinted and rolled over, but was only able to stand the feeling of her chaffing, sweaty jeans for about thirty seconds before sitting up. She looked at the window, running her fingers through her knotted hair. It had to be at least eleven. When had she even fallen asleep? With a little trouble, she changed out of her clothes from the day before and into something fresh. She brushed her teeth quickly in the bathroom across the hall and trotted downstairs to the kitchen, opening the fridge for some breakfast.

There wasn't a lot to choose from, which made sense. Kara had been gone for a week and a half. She settled on a small container of green grapes and closed the fridge.

"Gah!" She yelled, jumping back in fright. Steve was standing there, leaning against the wall of cupboards. "Jesus! Make a little noise when you move, would you?"

"Sorry. I was fixing the sink. Thought I'd take a break before fixing the drying machine."

Kara hopped up on the counter to sit, swinging her bare feet. "Babushka's already got you doing chores huh? I think that's what scared my last boyfriend away."

"Not much of a handyman, was he?"

"Oh, he was a real handy man." Kara replied with a roll of her eyes, and without thinking, as if she was talking to Emmy. She blushed. "I'm sorry. Total joke. No, I don't think he could fix a jigsaw puzzle if you gave him step-by-step instructions." She offered the container of grapes to Steve, who took one, "Where is Babushka, anyway?"

"She left a little while ago to get some stuff for dinner. I told her not to bother. Nat says we're leaving early tomorrow morning, so we can get to New York at a decent time."

That was a surprise to Kara. She'd expected them to stay at least a little longer. It seemed that Natasha was eager to get back to work.

"Shit! Then I don't have a lot of time!"

Steve arched an eyebrow, "A lot of time for what?"

Kara was shoving the grapes into Steve's hands. "I gotta go find Emmy! I gotta make sure she's okay!"

Steve quickly put the grapes back in the fridge and brushed his hands on his jeans. "Who's Emmy?"

"She's the blonde girl who punched out the bathroom window in the gala and let you in."

"Red dress?"

"I thought it was more of a dark rose, but yeah, that's the one!"

"Kara wait-"

Kara paused in grabbing her car keys off a hook and sighed. "You're about to say 'are you sure this is a good idea, she doesn't remember what happened,' look, yeah. I remember. I just miss her. She's my best friend. I need to tell her I'll be gone."

Steve smiled, "No, I was gonna say, you have to take me with you."

Kara shoved her wallet into the back pocket of her ripped jeans and put her left hand on her hip, key's dangling from the fingers of her broken hand. "Duh." She said, tossing the keys to him and holding up her casted right arm, trying not to smile. "You're driving."

"Oh! What about the drying machine?"

"Forget the dryer. She lives in New Mexico! She hasn't used it in eight years."

Steve ran a hand through his hair and grinned. "Alright then!"

As Steve drove, Kara pointed out things that she deemed interest worthy. "Down that road is where I went to middle school! Take a left here." She pointed to a large palm tree in the center of the road, growing out of the divider at the stop light. It looked rather crooked. "My friend Andrew tried to jump the divider with his motorcycle last summer. He didn't make it."

Steve winced. "Was he okay?"

"Oh yeah. He was fine. The tree? Not so much." The girl was beaming. In fact, Steve realized, she hadn't stopped smiling since they'd gotten into her little blue convertable. She seemed to be glowing in the hot New Mexico sun.

"You're pretty glad to be back, huh?" He commented. Her cheeriness was contagious. He had to shout over the wind of the open roof. Kara turned to him.

"I'm glad to be alive!" She exclaimed, turning the full force of her grin on him. He was speechless. "We could be in Alaska for all I care. It's just better that we're here." She lifted her arms up into the open air over the windshield and felt the air whip around them, whooping her joy. Steve laughed, and Kara pointed.

"Pull over here! Emmy's house is on the next block!"

"How do you know she's home?" Steve asked as he killed the engine.

"If she's not here, then she's at the mall. But maybe we'll get lucky and find her here!"

They were lucky. Kara saw her friend watering the flowers in the front yard when they were still half a block away. She cupped her hands around her mouth. "Hey loser!"

The blonde's head shot up, and she yelled something unintelligible. Steve was sure he heard the word 'bitch,'. He was surprised that there was no audible explosion from the two, given the speed and force that they ran and collided for their embrace.

"Where the shit have you been?" Emmy punched Kara in the breast, and the tall girl yelped in pain. "Mr. Benson said you had a family emergency, so you had to leave early. I just got back a few hours ago. Is Babushka okay?"

Kara's mind spun to catch up. Apparently the male chaperone had been told some story to explain why Kara had disappeared.

"You could have told me, you know. I wouldn't have worried too much, and you could have replied to at least one of my texts!" She punched Kara again, "Bitch."

"Emmy, please, love of my life, oh wise and perfect queen, let me explain before I have to start throwing my own punches!" Kara cried, throwing her arms up to defend herself. "I left my phone in the airport in Amsterdam! I'm sorry!" She lied, cringing on the inside. She noticed Steve looked awkward, and moved out of the way in hopes of moving the onslaught of playful punches onto him. "Emmy, this is Steve! Steve, Emmy."

Steve held out a hand. "Hi! Kara's told me a lot about you."

Emmy looked the man over shamelessly, staring at his face. "Wow." She said finally, shaking his hand. "Geez Kara, where'd you pick up the Abercrombie and Fitch model?"

Kara burst out laughing at Steve's reddening face. "He's, uh, Babushka's handyman. I asked him to drive me to see you while she's out."

"Why didn't you drive yourself?" Emmy picked up the hose she'd dropped, "Not," She amended, giving Steve another once over, "That I'm not delighted to meet you, Shane."

"Steve."

"Right. So, you got any, uh, brothers, Sam?"

"Steve."

"God you're a slut." Kara snorted. Emmy glared at her friend.

"I'd be careful how you talk to the girl you send your nudes to. Anyway. I only ask because he looks really familiar, that's all. I feel like I've seen him before."

Kara shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, whatever. I'm going inside to eat your food. Are you coming?"

They decided to go to the beach for a little bit, or more accurately, Kara and Emmy decided that Steve would drive them to the beach. He didn't mind. He'd never been to New Mexico before, and it was fun to see it. It was even more entertaining to watch Kara with her friend. She seemed to turn into a completely different person, and Steve was fascinated at the change. The two huddled together over a bowl of strawberries, looking at pictures on Emmy's phone.

"Yeah, well it was funny until he fell into the fountain and sliced his foot open on broken glass." The chubby blonde was saying.

"What an idiot. I was just telling Steve about the motorcycle incident." Kara shook her head. "What'd say?"

"He said, 'Andrew, you absolute fuckstick, if you don't get out of that fountain-"

Kara giggled, "Do you have a picture of his foot?"

"You know I do."

"Oh my god that's gross."

"Right? You should have seen it the next day."

"I don't wanna know- OH MY GOD. How is he not dead?"

Emmy started laughing, slipping her phone into her pocket and standing to stretch. She reached for the last strawberry, but Kara grabbed it first. The blonde scowled. "Aren't you going to some fancy ballerina school tomorrow? Aren't you supposed to be developing an eating disorder or something?"

Kara scoffed. "Starving myself was so seventh grade." She said sarcastically, popping the berry in her mouth. "Besides, it's like seventy percent water. I'll pee it out in a half hour." She turned to Steve and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. We get kind of vulgar sometimes."

Steve snorted, "You forget I was in the army, kid. Your conversations don't have a patch on vulgar." He rubbed Kara's curly hair. "Don't worry. You're clean as a whistle."

"Clean as a whistle?" Emmy asked. "Geez, what generation are you from?"

Both Steve and Kara froze, making eye contact before forcing out laughter.

"It's all the time he's spending around Babushka. You know how she is."

"That's true," Emmy acknowledged as the trio left the house. "I remember I called her by her name once and she made me come over and do the dishes for a week."

The brunette shuddered. "That's a tip for you, Steve. Don't call her anything but Gran" or "Babushka" or you'll be sorry."

"Dually noted." He didn't think it'd be too much of a problem. If he was lucky, he'd make it through the evening and early morning without having to call her by name at all.

The beach was almost empty, save a few seagulls and a couple walking in the other direction. Kara was expecting this. She'd instructed Steve to drive to one of the less showy beaches, the one that only the locals knew about.

"This is beautiful." Steve breathed in the briny air. He could taste the salt tingle on his tongue.

Kara let the salty scent fill her lungs. My place, my place, my place, she repeated in her head. She felt a hand on her arm and opened her eyes. "Yeah, it is, isn't it?" She flashed her teeth at Steve. "Come on. Let's go see if the tide washed up anything cool."

A few hours later found the three sitting on the sand, listening to the birds. Steve's pockets were heavy with sea glass he'd collected. He pulled out a hand full to sort through, letting the sand filter through his fingers and back onto the ground. He lifted a piece about the size of this thumb. It was opaque, and a little grainy, but a small portion of the backside was polished so smooth that it gleamed. He held it up, letting the light glint off it.

"Pretty." Kara commented, watching the man. "You're lucky to have found such a big piece in that color. Blue is pretty rare."

"Really?" Steve looked down at his hand, where he held a variety of smooth pieces of green, brown, and white glass. Kara pointed to them.

"These are the most common, since these colors are what a majority of companies still manufacture for their bottles."

Steve held the blue glass up by Kara's face, and the girl lifted her brows quizzically. "It matches your eyes." He said, setting the rest of his handful of glass on the ground. He slipped the piece of glass back into his pocket and stretched out on his back, cushioning his head with his arms and closing his eyes.

Kara felt the blush rise in her cheeks and turned to Emmy, who was lighting a joint, blowing the smoke up into the air and watching it dissipate. She handed it to Kara, and she took it, inhaling deeply before handing it back.

"It was weird," Emmy began slowly, "The day you left Germany. Parts of the trip don't make sense to me. I don't know. They feel like a badly spliced together movie trailer."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't really know." Emmy furrowed her brow, handing the blunt back to Kara. "Like, you know how the gala party was canceled? So we never went, right? But…" She breathed heavily. "This is gonna sound so dumb, but I swear, sometimes I feel like I was there. Like if I have it in the back of my mind, but don't think about it too hard, I can remember the lights, and the people. Like a deja vu. Like I was there and I'm just forgetting."

"That doesn't sound dumb." Kara swallowed.

"It doesn't?"

"Not really. I mean, if you think about it. Everyone was super stoked for it. I know I was having dreams about going even before we won the contest and went. And everyone put so much work into the fundraising. It only makes me want to have been there even more. You're probably trying to compensate by like, confusing fantasy with reality-" Kara wanted to congratulate herself for a moment for her quick thinking. The feeling passed almost immediately though, and left her feeling guilty and disgusting. Who had she turned into the last few days, that she could lie so easily to her best friend? Perhaps living a lie without knowing it, makes a person better at lying. She thought, and frowned.

"Maybe. And I guess that would make sense. But I swear I remember my dress. Wearing it. Being around people. I can even remember the smells. And when I took my dress out of my suitcase this morning, it had stains on it. How could they have gotten there if I never wore my dress?"

Kara couldn't meet Emmy's eyes. "Maybe your lipstick opened in your bag."

"I don't carry lipstick in my checked baggage. Emmy blew out a puff of smoke. "I said it sounds stupid. I can't help but think about how bizarre it all was. Like there's something bigger going on. Like, Kara, I can't find anything about it on the internet. That's weird, right? I mean, it was supposed to be the biggest event of the year, and there's nothing."

Kara looked at her friend. She should have known this would happen. Emmy was, always had been, incredibly intelligent. She was the main reason the class had even been in Germany to begin with. Her and the work she put in to her project with Kara had been the most substantial and detailed. Of all the projects by all the high school seniors across the world, Emmy's back breaking work and smarts had paid off. There was no way S.H.I.E.L.D could mess with a mind like that. Kara eyed her friend through a wall of her curling hair, her heart hurting so desperately to be able to tell Emmy the truth. Emmy didn't deserve to be lied to. She'd given everything to go to that Gala, and it wasn't fair.

Then Kara remembered something her aunt had said with a start. Sometimes the people who tried too hard to remember what had been taken away went insane, trying to scratch that itch in their brain, like the rambling drunks on street corners who ranted about the government hiding monsters and aliens.

What if I could make her remember…Kara thought. I wonder if I could do it. To somehow bypass the memory loss, and help her before it drives her insane. She lifted a hand, then hesitated, staring at her palm. What if she just sped up the process. Caused Emmy to unravel, remembering bits and pieces but never the whole thing, hastening her insanity. She looked back at Emmy, conflicted.

A large, warm hand slipped into hers, and Kara tried hard not to look at Steve, but she felt him sit up.

"My fingers are cold." He said by way of explanation. But the depth in his gaze when Kara finally met his eyes told her the real reason he had taken her hand. They said, clear as words on a page, Don't do something stupid. "We should head back." He said. "You still need to pack."

Kara nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She pulled her hand away from his. I wouldn't have actually done it. She told herself. That would be irresponsible. I wouldn't risk Emmy like that. Besides, Steve took my hand, and nothing happened. So I doubt it would have worked anyway.

Emmy shoved the butt of the joint into the sand and stood. "Yeah. I gotta go to work tomorrow, and I'm exhausted. Gross." She wiped the sand from her bottom and stooped to grab her sandals.

"I don't even know where to start packing," Kara groaned as she climbed to her own feet, hoping Emmy was done thinking about the Gala.

"I'll help you." Steve offered as they trudged across the sand back to the car.

The ride back to Emmy's house was full of laughter and the smell of sand and saltwater. Emmy did her best to sign Kara's cast, but when it proved too difficult, she settled for trying to convince Kara to just get her name as a tattoo instead.

"Hell no."

"Why not? It's better than signing your cast! You'll have it forever!"

"What am I gonna tell my future husband if I have your name tattooed on me?"

"Um, that I was on you first? Duh?"

Even Steve laughed at that one.

"What will you tell your future husband if I have your name tattooed on me?" Kara asked, "Same thing?"

Emmy smiled a bit and looked down, refusing to comment on her future husband. She grew serious as she got out of the car in front of her house. She leaned against the passenger side door. "I'm really happy for you, you know. Getting into a dance school. I know that's really important to you."

Kara took Emmy's hand. "Thanks Emmy. You know I love you."

Emmy looked up, silent for a few seconds, then back to Kara. "Get a new phone. You know my number."

"As soon as possible. I promise."

There seemed to be something Emmy wanted to say, but she swallowed, squeezed Kara's hand, and smiled weakly. "Alright. Don't forget about me. I'll see you later." She nodded to Steve, and waved as they drove away.

Steve was quiet for a few minutes, then he spoke up. "I know it's hard for you to lie to her."

"Yeah. You don't know the half of it." Kara leaned her head back against the leather seat and closed her eyes.

"Actually, I do."

Kara turned her head and looked at him. She smiled sadly. "Yeah. I guess you would, huh. Sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I'm not gonna sling some bullshit cliche at you."

"Like what?"

"Like, 'It's for the best,' or 'this is for her own safety'. It doesn't get easier to lie to people, Kara. At least not for me. And I hope it never get's easier for you. It means you still have a shred of humanity."

Kara furrowed her brow, "You don't think it's for the best?"

"I think S.H.I.E.L.D underestimates the strength and resilience of ordinary people. Like in the attack on New York, a lot more people would have gotten hurt, if ordinary people weren't capable of keeping cool heads and helping others in a crisis."

"I'm sure there are plenty of people who only help themselves. Who looked out for no one but their own." Kara countered.

Steve shrugged. "Sure. But there are plenty of S.H.I.E.L.D Agents like that too. We're not special or different just because we have a badge and know some secrets. We're just like police officers. There are good agents, and there are bad agents. And you never know how someone will react in a crisis."

The girl had to admit that he was right. She could name a handful of people from school who would make great agents. Better than her at least.

"Your friend, for one." Steve continued. "The way she helped people at the gala. I tried to make her leave when she let me through the bathroom window, but she wouldn't go. Demanded that she had friends inside. That she had to help you. She's brave, and she cares about people."

"Are you saying that Emmy should be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent?"

Steve grunted. "No. S.H.I.E.L.D doesn't deserve people like her." He looked at the girl again. "Or people like you."

Kara felt a knot tighten in her stomach. "Do you think she's going to be okay? Like, with the memory thing? Is she going to go crazy trying to remember?"

Steve shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't know. I'm new to the whole memory loss technique. All I know is that they've been using it far too liberally." There was sincere bitterness in his voice, and Kara looked at him.

"I'm surprised that they didn't blank me out and ship me back home after everything was over." She commented.

"Really." His tone was low, but it encouraged her to continue.

"I mean, I don't want to think badly of my aunt or anything, but I didn't really get the impression that she was happy about me remembering any of this." She looked at her hands, "I guess it would be hard to forget, considering. This whole mutant thing is probably the only reason they let me remember anything. Couldn't wipe my brain and ship me off when I could wreak havoc I guess."

Steve's mouth had creased into a hard line, and his knuckles were turning white around the steering wheel, causing the material to creak in distress.

"Steve- Hey superman, please don't break my car."

Steve's muscles relaxed, but it seemed to take a lot of effort. He flashed a forced looking smile at the girl. "Sorry." He said. "You know, I didn't know you were a ballet dancer. How long have you been doing that?"

Kara considered trying to continue their previous conversation, but decided against it. Steve looked upset, and she didn't want him to get more so. "Since I could walk. Nat insisted on it. Always said that control of the body was the key to controlling the mind, or something like that. Kinda creepy, now that I know she was an assassin for my entire childhood, but still. I like it. It really helped once I started getting tall. I wasn't falling over myself as much as I could have been."

Steve's mouth twitched. "I was an awkward kid myself." He admitted.

"Back in the 1800's?"

"1900's" Steve corrected with a scowl. "I've never worn a top hat or a monocle."

"I bet you'd look rather dashing in a top hat. And a tail coat and heels."

Steve snorted. "Did you just demote me to a butler?" He pulled a comical grimace. "Well, I bet you'd look pretty cute in a corset and twenty layers of skirts." Kara gagged, and Steve laughed. "I prefer the clothing style of this time. Everything is softer."

When they got back to the house, Natasha was sitting at the table, looking like she'd just woken up. Her hair was wet and plastered to her face, evidence of a recent shower.

"You're up early," Kara commented. Natasha glared at her.

"I haven't had a decent night's sleep in a while. I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity." She nodded to the chair across from her, and Kara's good mood dissipated with a sinking heart. "Sit down, I have something to discuss with you."

Kara tried to swallow the tension in her throat. "What's up?" She tried to sound nonchalant as she took her seat.

"Well," Natasha began, "To start with, I'd like to make it clear that I was fully against this decision. Unfortunately, it was out of my hands."

Kara glanced at Steve, in case he might know what Natasha was talking about. He shook his head, leaning against the fridge with crossed arms. It was clear that he didn't intend to leave. Kara looked back to her aunt. "Okay. Now that we've established that, what's going on?"

"Clint went to the school you will be attending, and he thinks it will be a good fit."

"Well, that's good news, right?" She tried to sound cheery, but it died in her throat.

"Yes. It is. It's one less thing to worry about in the least. You will receive a top notch education as well as learn how to control your mutation. However,"

Kara hated that word. It never made any situation better.

"Beneath the school is, well," Natasha stopped and rubbed her forehead in agitation. "It's a school for mutants. People with extraordinary abilities. They had enemies, a long time ago- before you were born. They had people who wanted to destroy the school and all the people in it. So they built a prison beneath the campus. All the prisoners have died, or been relocated, but the holding cells are still there, and they are secure. That's part of what Clint went to inspect. They have force fields and titanium steel walls and a nullification shield to make it impossible for a mutant to use their powers. It's incredibly secure."

Kara knew where this was going, and her head felt light.

"It'll be easier than flying you to New York every week. S.H.I.E.L.D can't spare the resources to guard you for the journey."

"Let me get this straight…" Kara began incredulously, placing her hands on the table and forcing them not to tremble. "You're going to move Loki, to a school. With kids. Where I'll live. He's going to be in jail, beneath me."

"We've been assured that no one has ever been able to escape the confines-"

"Tell me, Nat. Have these confines ever been tested on something stronger than a mutant? Because Loki isn't a mutant, Nat." She spoke slow, as if she was speaking to a child. "Loki can tell a guard to put a pistol in his mouth and pull the trigger, and the guard will do it. Loki is a demigod. I don't think his powers can be nullified. I don't think steel can hold him." She was desperate for Natasha to understand. She was about to beg.

"This prison is probably more secure than where we have him now." Natasha tried to calm the girl. She knew Kara was scared. Probably terrified. And Natasha's heart broke to see it. She had no idea what had happened to Kara during the time she'd been Loki's prisoner. The girl hadn't talked about it at all, and Natasha was reluctant to ask, for fear of scaring her further into her shell. It seemed like Kara was eager to pretend it hadn't happened, and Natasha knew that wasn't healthy, but for once she was at a loss for words. She was an agent, an assassin. Not a therapist. "I've seen pictures of it. And if Clint approves, trust me. He's not getting out. You won't be in any danger from him while you're there. He's not getting out." She repeated, hoping the repetition would somehow soothe Kara.

"You keep saying that. Are you trying to convince me or yourself?" Kara snapped.

Natasha looked to Steve helplessly, but she found no help in his steely gaze. "Oh stop glaring at me, Rogers. I already said I had nothing to do with this."

Kara crossed her arms across her chest. "So you're telling me this as a courtesy."

"I didn't want it to be a surprise."

"Fine. Thanks, I guess." Kara tried to fill the statement with withering scorn, but she didn't have the energy for it. She was finding every day that she was losing the energy to fight even the most outrageous things. How had she become so beaten down? When? She found one last reserve of anger and used it. "I'll make sure I pack my skewer proof vest, just in case."

Natasha sighed as Kara stormed upstairs. "I'm just trying to be honest with her." She muttered as Steve took the chair that Kara had vacated.

"She's eighteen, Nat. You can't expect eighteen years worth of forgiveness in less than a week."

Natasha glowered at him, but there was sadness in her eyes. "I know that." She snapped. "I can't take back what I've done. That's that." She leaned back and crossed her arms, and Steve was momentarily distracted by how similar Natasha and Kara looked. Kara's face was a bit thinner, her nose less defined, and her chin just a bit stronger, but there was no denying the resemblance.

Natasha caught him staring, and mistook it for animosity. "So. What did you tell her? That I fully intended to keep her oblivious to it all? That you were her bold savior and took out her I.V.? That her monster of an aunt would have kept the deception going as long as possible?"

Steve shook his head. "Contrary to some of my more recent actions, I don't make a practice of interfering in other people's parenting styles. You'll either tell her or you won't. It doesn't affect me, and personally, I don't think it matters. I don't think you would have wiped her mind again anyway, given the choice."

"That's easy to say from here."

Steve ignored the sass. "What matters is what you do from now on."

"What are you, my shrink?"

"No. But I am your friend. So I think that might give me a little more validity."

"You wish." But the woman wasn't glaring anymore. "Steve, I need a favor."

Steve didn't hesitate, "Anything."

Natasha let out a breath of air, finally meeting his eyes. "I need you to find out what happened to Kara while she was with Loki." She frowned when Steve took a breath.

He let it out slowly, looking at the table. "Nat. I think that's something you need to talk to her about."

"Oh please, you know she won't talk to me."

Steve stared into Natasha's face seriously. "I don't think you give her enough credit. She's hurting. You know that or you wouldn't have asked me to talk to her."

"I just want to know what happened-" Natasha began in protest, but Steve's look stopped her.

"No. You want her to talk about it. You see her holding it inside, and you want her to open up about it. She's not an agent, Nat. She's not like you, trained to file it away until it's convenient to deal with it. And I agree with you. I really do," Steve held up his hands, "But I can't be the one to talk to her. You need to do that. You or Clint. But you're the one that's here now. I'm sorry Nat. But I can't do what you're asking me to."

Natasha swallowed, then sighed, looking away. "You're probably right. But now is not the time."

Steve lifted his shoulders innocently. "It was when you wanted me to do it. I don't see why now shouldn't be the time. I have to fix the dryer anyway." He stood and stretched an arm behind his head, heading out into the garage without looking back.

Natasha stood as well, trying to steel herself to go upstairs and talk to her niece. She paced around the table a bit, then sat on the edge of the counter, nibbling a nail. Then she went back to pacing, then back to the counter to chew on another nail then- "NO!" She hissed slapping her face lightly. What was wrong with her? She'd charged into gunfights with less hesitation than this. She could talk to Kara. But even she couldn't deny that her skill with weapons and manipulation didn't extend to genuine skill at meaningful talks with young women. She walked up the stairs and knocked on Kara's door before she could talk herself out of it.

"What."

Okay. Not a promising start. But she'd come this far, and hell if she was going to look like a coward in front of an eighteen-year-old. "Kara, it's Nat."

"Yeah. I know."

"Can I come in?"

There was a silence that seemed to stretch forever. "Fine."

Natasha opened the door and slipped into the room, closing it behind her gently. Kara was on the floor, surrounded by stacks of clothing and two open suitcases. She watched Natasha guardedly as the redhead milled around the room.

"Who's gonna feed your fish?" She asked finally, pointing to the little bowl with the bubble eyed black fish. "What's it's name?"

"Mortecai. I'm moving him downstairs into the living room tonight. Was there something you wanted?"

Natasha nodded, then cleared her throat. She sat on the edge of Kara's purple bed, and patted the spot next to her. Kara hesitated, then slowly stood and went to sit with her aunt, folding her legs under her and leaning against the wall.

"Kara- I want to say," Natasha sucked her teeth, "I want to let you know, I know these last couple days have been, well, kind of a wild ride. I mean, trying to see it from your point of view, I guess they've been pretty awful. It's hard sometimes, to remember-" She scratched the back of her head and looked down. "I mean, for me its just felt like a rough week at work. But for you, I suppose it's like waking up to find out monsters exist and nightmares are real."

"Yeah. You pretty much nailed it." Kara replied dryly. Despite her tone, she was shocked. She'd never seen Natasha this unsure before.

"What I'm trying to say is that you've, you've done incredibly well. I know you've been scared."

Kara had to scoff at that, and Natasha looked up. Kara clarified. "I was trapped in an air vent." She said coldly. "With a maniac trying to gut me through the metal. And that was the highlight of my day. I think 'scared' is the understatement of the century."

Natasha nodded. "Of course. You're right. Kara, you didn't have any training, and you were forced into a situation that a senior agent probably wouldn't have survived. I don't think-" She lifted her eyebrows, realizing the truth in what she was about to say before the words left her mouth. "I don't think I would have survived it, if I had been in your place. I would have tried to fight, or talk my way out of it. And that wouldn't have worked with Loki. I probably would have been dead in minutes. But you listened to your instincts. Kara, you did really, really well." She met the girl's eyes, which were wide with astonishment. "I'm really sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you. I'm sorry you were on the ship to begin with. For not telling you the truth about Loki years ago. I made a chain of mistakes, and they all blew up in my face, and you almost-you did, pay the price for them. And I'm just lucky that you weren't killed. But god, Kara-" Her hands were shaking, and she clenched them in her lap, instinctively hiding her weakness. "You must have been terrified. No one deserves what you went through. We don't even train agents for that kind of stuff. And for you to have not only survived, but to have helped us- we wouldn't have been able to close that portal if it hadn't been for what you did to Selvig. And Tony told me how you helped him in the Penthouse. Kara that's incredible for someone your age. I'm really proud of you. Clint and I both. We're proud of you."

Kara didn't know what to say. "Nat. I-" She felt her throat close up, and pinched the bridge of her nose until the burning stopped. "I was scared. It was horrible. But I didn't do anything incredible. All I did was try not to die. That's all."

"And you helped save the world in the process. I know, we keep asking more of you. I keep expecting more of you because I expect you to handle it like I would. But you're right Karaline. You're not me. And no eighteen-year-old girl should have to accept the things we're asking of you. Honestly, I'm relieved you've put up such a fight so far." She let out a raspy breath. "If you hadn't, I'd be worried. I don't want you to be like me, Kara. I want you to be like you."

That did it. No amount of nose pinching could have stopped Kara's tears. "Nat," She croaked.

"I want you to keep telling me what makes you uncomfortable. I won't be able to change everything. But I might, I'll do everything in my power, to make them better. But right now there's something, I have to ask you."

Kara couldn't speak, so she simply nodded.

Natasha took a deep breath, looking into Kara's face. "You were gone for over eight hours. You haven't breathed a word of it. And you don't have to tell me now- but if you feel like talking about what happened, I think it could help you come to grips with some of this. I'm here, and I love you and I want to know you're okay. So if you ever want to talk about it…" She trailed off.

"Are you sure you're not just being nosey?" but the girl was smiling a bit, and Natasha had to smile in return.

"Well. That too of course."

Kara huffed and sat back. "There's truthfully not that much to tell. I was in the Quinjet for most of it." She told Natasha about Loki making Lapsley shoot Charleston, and about almost being thrown off the roof, and her brief struggle with Loki in the bedroom, although she left out that it had been on a bed, and that Loki had done anything but try to stab her. And she told her everything else, from the moment she left the quinjet to Tony's appearance.

"How did he know you could glimpse the future?" Natasha inquired.

"What?" Kara was caught off guard by Natasha's question.

"You mentioned that Loki asked you about your mutation. And he demanded that you demonstrate the ability again. How did he know you could do it?"

Kara thought back to the very first time she had done it. "Um, when he attacked me on the ship I guess. Just for a second. I made him see a girl. I think he was killing her. He was screaming at her to fight, just like he was telling me. I guess that's why that's the memory," She waved her hands around to express her own confusion, "Whatever this is chose. Because it was so similar."

"Any idea who the girl was?"

Kara shook her head. "I was so shocked, I didn't really look. She had blonde hair, and she was covered in blood."

"Do you think she could have been an agent?" Natasha asked. She was thinking through the missing agents, trying to remember if any of the 6 missing women had blonde hair.

Kara closed her eyes and furrowed her brow, trying to remember. "I don't think so. She was wearing a dress, but not any kind of dress I've ever seen."

"Hmm. I'll keep my ear out for any civilian casualties matching that description. Did you see anything else on the quinjet? You said Loki thought you could tell the future. If that was the past, how did he know you could see forward?"

Kara opened her mouth to say yes, then stopped. "Uh.." She tried not to blush as she recalled what she had seen. "There was something else, but I don't really remember. I don't think it was the future though." God I hope not. Please God. I hope not. She thought to herself. She shrugged. "It could have been. I was really woozy at that point. I fell and hit my head-"

Natasha could sense an evasion from a mile away, and she patted Kara's leg. "It's okay. You don't have to talk about it. This isn't an interrogation. I just wanted you to get some stuff off of your chest that might be weighing on you."

Natasha was right. It had been weighing on her. Especially after Loki's overly flirtatious behavior during his interview. She knew he was doing it just because of what they'd shared in his head, and he knew it made her uneasy. But Kara couldn't think of a way to talk about it, even with the invitation to spill right there. It was too mortifying to think about, much less say aloud.

"I really don't remember," She heard herself say, and she knew it sounded fake.

Natasha offered to help her finish packing, and Kara declined, saying she preferred to do it herself. So Natasha left, heading downstairs to help Babushka with dinner.

Kara sat on the bed and stared at her clothes for a little bit, then finally moved back down to the floor to continue packing. Whatever she had seen on the Helicarrier, it could wait. And, she told herself, as long as I know about it, I can prevent it from happening. Hopefully.

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxx

That night, after Kara was packed, Alyona brought out a cake she'd purchased for the occasion.

"Both of my babies are here with me, and they're both so grown now!" She said. The cake had a handful of mismatched candles, and "Happy Birthday," was written across the top in neon green piping, but it didn't matter, and it didn't stop Alyona from insisting that Natasha and Kara blow out the candles at the same time.

They did, with minor head bumping, and Steve holding Kara's hair behind her back so it wouldn't drag in the frosting. There was laughter, and Natasha, begrudgingly, joined Alyona in singing some Russian songs, of which Kara vaguely recognized the tune.

Alyona clapped her hands gleefully when Steve offered to take a picture of the three of them, pulling the two women to her fondly.

"Smile everyone! Natasha. Smile."

All in all, Kara thought, it was a good night, even with the lingering anxiety she felt about leaving the next morning. Something told her that it would be a long time before she came back here, and when she did, it would be a very different place.

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxx

The next morning her alarm went off when the sun was barely a sliver on the horizon. She could hear someone showering across the hall, and laid in bed until she heard the water go off. This was it. She scooped up the clothes she'd laid out the night before and went to shower. She tried to untangle the knots in her stomach as she washed. Part of her was undeniably excited. She was going to New York State to learn how to control her abilities. She was going to meet other mutants!

But there was the constant weight of her anxiety. How many lives were relying on her interrogations with Loki?

And Loki. That was another thing. What. The. Hell. Loki was going to be there. She couldn't shake her feeling of unease, and she knew it would only get worse once she got to the school. There was fear there, but also disappointment. Kara had thought that the weekly trip to New York City would give her an excuse to see Steve, and Natasha and Clint, on a semi-regular basis. She realized now how stupid that idea had been. They were agents. They belonged to S.H.I.E.L.D, and as soon as she was tucked away in school, they would go back to doing whatever it was they did. When she exited the bathroom and tucked her toothbrush in her suitcase, she made her way downstairs, her bags thunking on the steps behind her.

To her surprise, her Babushka was standing in the kitchen, a determined look on her face. "I am not going to cry." She said firmly when she caught Kara's eye. Her voice sounded a bit strangled.

Kara smiled. "Yes you are. It'll only make your nose hurt if you fight it."

Alyona flung her arms around her granddaughter and held her tight. "You be sure to write me!" She wept into the girl's hair. She pulled away suddenly. "Oh! Speaking of writing, this was in the mail for you this morning!" She slid three envelopes over the counter.

Kara picked them up curiously. One was a rather small, dirty envelope with her name written in blocky, capital letters on the back. She noticed her name was spelled wrong, with a 'C' instead of a 'K', but that often happened and she paid it no mind. The next was a hefty, thick, beige package. Kara tore it open. Inside, wrapped in bubblewrap, was her phone.

"Alright!" She exclaimed before she could stop herself. She turned it on.

"Is that your cellphone?" Alyona asked curiously.

"Yeah! I-uh- left it in the airport. Someone must have found it." Inwardly, she was ecstatic, but a bit apprehensive. Why had she been given it back? Wasn't S.H.I.E.L.D worried about a security breach? Or were they confident that Kara wouldn't do anything because of her relations to Natasha. Something else slid out of the package and onto the floor. She picked it up and turned it over. Her driver's license. Luckily her Babushka wasn't looking, and she slipped it into her back pocket. Apparently S.H.I.E.L.D hadn't found it necessary to return anything else that had been in her wallet. Must be desperate for funding, she tossed the empty package into the trash, if they're keeping quarters and gift cards.

She moved on to the last piece of mail. It was thin, and Kara felt her heart simultaneously sink and fall at the logo on the front. Southern California School of Dance. Her top choice. The ballet school. She wanted to rip into the envelope and see what it said. Was it an acceptance letter? Or was it a polite dismissal? She had her thumbnail under the seam when she stopped herself. Did it really matter at this point?

Of course it mattered! It was her school! The one she'd dreamed about! Lost sleep about!

But…She was going to Charles Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. The decision had been made. She was going to learn how to be a mutant from other mutants and talk to a sadistic murderer every week. So it didn't matter what the letter said at all. She'd be heartbroken either way.

"What is it?" Alyona asked, seeing the look on Kara's face.

Kara looked up. "Oh, nothing. Just spam and ads." She tossed the pile of papers into the trash bin, peeling open the little dirty envelope she'd set aside. "Where're Natasha and Steve?"

"They went to fill up my car with gas, the dears. They'll be back soon."

Kara nodded and concentrated on reading the letter in her hands. She frowned, realizing that the letter was written on the inside of the envelope. She carefully flattened it.

CARA

Big, capital block letters, like it had been printed off of a digital clock.

CARA

SORRY I DIDN'T STOP BY TO SAY GOODBYE TO YOU IN THE INFIRMARY. I HEAR YOU'VE JOINED THE RANKS OF THE MUTANTS. WELCOME ABOARD. SORRY.

Well, Kara sniffed, that wasn't very encouraging.

IT'LL TAKE SOME GETTING USED TO, BUT YOU'LL BE FINE. ALSO SORRY FOR THE HASTINESS OF THIS NOTE, I WANTED TO GET OF SHIELD'S RADAR AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, AND DIDN'T WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO TRACK ME DOWN THIS TIME. WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER OPENING THIS BY THE WAY. I DIDN'T CLOSE IT WITH GLUE.

Kara scowled and wiped her hands furiously on her jeans.

-ANYWAY. I'M GLAD YOU MADE IT THROUGH EVERYTHING OKAY. I'M GLAD I DIDN'T HURT YOU WHEN I CHANGED. I KNOW THIS IS A RISK, BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU CAN REACH OUT TO ME IF YOU NEED IT. US FREAKS HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER. HA HA. BELOW IS MY NEW ADDRESS. I'LL LET YOU KNOW IF IT CHANGES, BUT DO ME A FAVOR AND DESTROY THIS WHEN YOU'RE DONE. I DONT WANT SHIELD TO TRACK ME DOWN. I KNOW YOU'RE SMART ENOUGH NOT TO LET IT SLIP THAT YOU KNOW WHERE I AM. I LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.

THANKS,

BRUCE

P.S. I TALKED THEM INTO GIVING YOUR PHONE BACK, BUT FAIR WARNING. YOU'RE BEING MONITORED. IT'S GOT A TRACKING DEVICE, AND DONT TRY TO GIVE OUT ANY SHIELD INFO. THEY HATE THAT. ALSO, I WOULDN'T SEND ANY RISQUEE TEXTS, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. JUST TO BE SAFE.

Kara swallowed. She'd known there was a catch to getting her phone back, and she was grateful that Bruce had let her know. She hadn't really found it odd that he hadn't stopped by to see her. They weren't really what anyone would call "friends," but it was nice of him to get her phone back to her. What did startle her was that Bruce was risking his privacy and location by reaching out to her. She didn't get it. He'd left, understandably, almost immediately after the battle, before things settled down. But Kara was just some kid to him. Why bother writing? Unless it was really just so she'd always have a sympathetic ear. That thought made her heart warm.

Using a pen, she quickly copied down Bruce's address onto her arm, it was some motel in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, and ripped up the letter quickly, shoving the pieces into the food disposal and running the water.

She had just finished when Steve and Natasha came back. Steve was disgustingly cheery for the earliness of the hour.

"We're ahead of schedule," Natasha tossed a bag to Kara, who caught it and looked inside. Bagels. "Make sure you eat enough. Its a long plane ride."

Kara knew she was saying this for the sake of Babushka, who had no notion that the trio would soon be boarding a jet, which would take half the time a normal plane would.

She took a bagel anyway, struggling to spread cream cheese on it with her hand in a cast. She fumbled for a second, attempted to grab it, before it flipped out of her hand and landed face down on the tile floor. Kara cursed, ignoring the laughter around her as she cleaned up the mess and tried again with her good hand.

"I'll take your bags out to the rental car." Steve offered as everyone finished eating, and Kara nodded her thanks. Natasha checked her watch.

"Alright. We need to head out. Gran, thank you for letting us stay a few nights."

Kara gave her Babushka one last hug, and Steve politely expressed his gratitude for the woman's hospitality, and the trio left.

Kara slept on the jet to New York, only waking up once during some rougher turbulence. Eventually they landed, and the girl opened her eyes, peeling her face away from the window she'd been leaning against.

Clint was there to greet them and hand a grumpy looking Natasha a coffee. He grinned at Kara. "You're gonna have a great time at school, Kara. I met the head master, and saw the grounds. I have to say, I might be a little jealous!"

Kara raised a sleepy brow at him. "Really?"

"She knows, Clint."

Clint's face faltered, and the smile that came back had cracks around the edges. "Well, I said what I said!" He insisted, holding open the car door for Steve and Kara to get in. "Besides, there's a lot of kids your age there. You won't be the weirdest one!"

Kara saw Natasha elbow Clint in the side, hard.

"Thanks…" She made eye contact with Steve and rolled her eyes.

"Your cheek," Natasha reached over from the passenger seat and rubbed a thumb over Clint's cheek gently. Kara saw what she had noticed. The angry red gash that had been there was gone, a small, barely visible, light line the only evidence that it had ever been there.

Clint grinned at Natasha. "They have a man at the Institute who can heal things just by touching them. He fixed it for me." He caught Kara's eye in the rearview mirror. "I told him you had a broken arm. He'll fix that for you too. And your hands."

Kara had almost forgotten about her burned palms, so many other things had been on her mind. She looked down at them now. The skin was tight, but not so much that it would crack if she spread her fingers. And they didn't really hurt anymore. The skin had scabbed over enough that they weren't so tender. Honestly, they were more ugly than painful.

The ride to the school was silent and tense, broken occasionally by a muttered curse and honk from Clint.

"Jesus. They way people drive down here, you'd think we'd be called to handle pile ups every day. They're driving like there's an alien attack down town!"

Everyone in the car hummed in amusement before lapsing back into silence.

"Hey, is that a S.H.I.E.L.D vehicle?" Kara sat up and pointed to a large, heavily armored black van getting ready to turn left onto the road they were on.

Clint gave it a quick once over and sighed, noting the small eagle insignia on the corner of the windshield. "Nat." He said lowly.

Natasha lifted her sunglasses and Clint nodded towards a truck. Natasha squinted, then cursed. "I told them to drop him off around 2 a.m." She checked her watch, "You're telling me they're eight hours late?"

"Drop him off?" Kara stiffened. "Loki? You mean Loki is in that van!?"

"I didn't even ask. I thought they'd let me know if there was a problem." Clint said apologetically. "I assumed he was already at the school."

Natasha twisted around in her seat to look at her niece. "We didn't want to drop him off at the same time as you."

That was the least of Kara's concerns. "You mean Loki. Of Asgard," She began, "The demigod. The trickster. Is being driven around New York, in nothing more than an armored van? What if it crashes? What if he attacks someone? What if he escapes? Have they got choppers following the van or something?"

"The last thing we want is to draw attention to the vehicle carrying him," Natasha explained coolly.

"Really? I'd think the last thing you'd want is an outbreak."

"Don't worry, Kara. He's secure. I'm sure eight extra hours of prep time saw to that." Clint stopped the car, nodding at the van's driver to go. "The situation is unfortunate," He explained as he moved in directly behind the van, "But now that we're here, we may as well keep an extra eye on it."

Kara folded her arms in frustration and leaned back against the seat. Her heart seemed to race faster with every passing minute as they trailed the vehicle, and she flinched every time she heard a car horn or the squeal of brakes, expecting the van to crash or tip, releasing it's deadly cargo.

Clint seemed to notice her agitation, and turned on the radio to tune out the sound of traffic. It didn't help, but Kara didn't say anything, just turned away from the front window, letting her eyes come to rest on the skin of Steve's neck. He head his head leaned against the window, and his eyes were closed. He hadn't said a word since they'd gotten in the car, and Kara realized he must have been dozing off the entire time. He stirred, and Kara instantly turned her gaze to the view out his window. He smiled sleepily at her.

"I like this song." He mumbled. "Make's me think of this dance hall I went to once."

"What was it called?"

"Uh, Kruger's, I think."

Kara frowned. "That's the name of a brewery chain now."

That made Steve snort. "I bet it's the same Kruger. He did like to craft his own beer. Pretty good stuff, if I remember right."

"We'll have to-" She was interrupted by Natasha.

"We're here. Kara, take a look."

The building was massive, and looked more like a mansion than a school. It loomed over them at the top of a green hill. There was a tall stone wall at the base of the hill where they were entering the grounds, and Kara imagined it probably encircled the entire campus.

"That's a school?" She asked in amazement.

"Pretty neat, huh?" Clint guided the car to the gate and swiped his S.H.I.E.L.D identification card. "The dorms are in the back."

Steve looked impressed. "Do all the students live here? None of them have other homes?"

"Oh plenty do. But it's easier, and safer, for them to live here until they know the full range of their mutations, and can control them. Even most of the professors live on campus.

"Geez," Kara breathed. She saw figures waiting for them at the ornate walkway to the school. The one standing waved the van ahead of them to continue down the road, and jogged beside it, motioning for it to stop a few feet further down the path, making room for the car.

The other figure was seated in what looked like a wheelchair, and he waited for them to stop before smiling in greeting.

"Hello!" He said cheerily as the four piled out of the car. "Good afternoon." He nodded to Clint, and turned his head to the other three, "I am Charles Xavier, Head Master of this academy." He extended his hand to Steve and Natasha, who introduced themselves, before turning to Kara. "You must be Karaline."

Kara reached out to take his hand, "Kara, please-" But the man pulled his hand away politely before she touched him. He smiled regretfully.

"I've heard you can do some pretty incredible things, Kara Stockholm. You'll understand if I am cautious." He tapped the side of his head with a finger. "I don't want to hurt you with the contents of my head."

"Um. Okay."

"I hear that you have only recently discovered your abilities." The man said as Natasha, Steve, and Kara followed him up the walkway to the mansion. Clint had jogged over to the truck carrying Loki to demand an explanation for their late delivery.

"Um, yeah. Yesterday. No, the day before, or the day before that…" Kara blushed and the man's raised eyebrow. "It's been a really crazy week."

"Of course. And, naturally, it doesn't really matter when these mutations manifest themselves. What's important is what you do from today onward." He pressed a button, and the massive mansion doors swung open.

Kara almost dropped her suitcases. It was amazing. And huge. People, some the same age as her, some younger, crowded the main entryway, filing out of hallways and rooms, and trying hard not to look like they were staring at the new arrival.

"It's not usually this busy in the common room." The professor said meaningfully, and a little louder than necessary if he was just speaking to the trio. He glared around the room, but not unkindly. "No one is fooled. Move along please."

The girls and boys immediately began to clear out, casting last looks over their shoulders.

"Gaylen," The professor called, and a boy with dark skin and striking green eyes trotted over, a goofy grin on his face.

"What can I do for you, Professor?" His voice lilted and dipped musically.

"Please take the ladies luggage to her room," he handed the boy a card, and Kara reluctantly handed over her suitcases.

"Thanks…"

"Any time!" And the boy was gone, disappearing down a hall.

The Professor looked to his guests. "Don't be fooled. They don't always listen that well. Energy is high today. We don't often get new students." He led them to a small office off the main hall and pressed a button to open the door. "Now," He said, moving behind a large desk. "Please, Kara. Take a seat." He looked seriously at Steve and Natasha. "If you don't mind, I would like a private word with Ms. Stockholm."

The pair nodded in understanding, exiting the room silently. Steve gave the girl a reassuring pat on the shoulder on his way out.

Kara shifted uneasily in her chair across from the Professor, her hands on her knees. When she looked up at him, he was watching her.

"I know you've been through quite the ordeal." He said, his voice soft and kind. "Is there anything you'd like to talk about? Or anything you'd like to let me know that will help you feel more comfortable here?"

Kara cleared her throat and opened her mouth. She closed it again, swallowing, then looked down and began to pick at a fingernail. "It's…" She coughed. "It's hard to talk about, ya know? I haven't really, I mean. I'm still kinda working on processing everything."

"I understand." The Professor propped his fingers under his chin. "You don't have to say anything if you don't wish to." He tapped his temple. "I can find it, if you let me. But you'll have to let me in. I will not enter without your consent."

Kara furrowed her brow. "Enter?"

"I can go into your head." The Professor explained. "See what you've seen, if it's too difficult to talk about. But I will not, if you do not want me to."

"You can read my thoughts? Can you tell what I'm thinking now?"

"Only because it is written clearly on your face," The bald man chuckled. "It is not an ability that I use liberally. And I would prefer to hear it from you, of course. However, I can make it easier for you."

Kara thought for a moment. She didn't really like the idea of having anyone inside her head. "I'd rather tell you." She said finally. "I don't want anyone in my brain. No offense." She added quickly.

"None taken. Very few do." He tilted his head. "Very well. I'm listening."

So Kara told him. From the first time she saw Loki in New Mexico, to falling asleep in the hospital after the final battle.

"I didn't mean to." She said, "-but I touched his hand, right before he was about to kill me, and that was the first time it happened. I saw a girl with blonde hair and Loki was screaming at her to fight, but she wouldn't."

"Do you know who she was?"

Kara licked her lips. "I tried to remember more last night…" She thought hard. "He called her something! Something with an 'S' ? Selene? Maybe? I don't remember. All I know is that he saw it too and it made him angry."

The Professor nodded. "Did it happen again? Any time after that?"

Kara nodded. Talking to Natasha last night had made repeating the story to this man easier somehow. Maybe she had dislodged something in Kara, but it was hard to explain. "When Steve showed up. I did it on purpose for the first time." She felt her face flush. "But I can't say what I saw. I don't remember."

"Would you like me to try?"

That was the last thing Kara wanted. As humiliating as it would be to talk about, it would be one hundred times worse for someone to see it displayed. Except… Of anyone, this man didn't seem like he would judge her at all. And here, in this school- He could probably help! Tell her how to prevent it! She pulled a chapped lip into her mouth. "Um. You'd be able to see the whole thing?"

"Well, I don't think it will be very difficult. For someone who doesn't remember, it seems to be at the forefront of your mind." Kara checked to see if he was mocking her, but his expression gave nothing away. "I think I'll be able to find it quite easily." There was laughter in his voice.

"You can't- If you do-I don't want anyone else to know…" Kara started, wondering if she was making the right choice. "It's…It's kind of…"

"Personal?"

"Um, yeah."

"Would you like me to try?"

"Just the one, though. Don't go sifting through my memories…please."

"Of course."

She felt a tug in her head for just a second, then it was gone.

"I see. I understand why you were reluctant to speak about it."

"It couldn't be the future," Kara insisted desperately, "I mean, right? There's no way! I wouldn't, like, ever…Its impossible right?"

The man twisted his mouth into a little frown. "I'm very hesitant to claim that anything is impossible. In my line of work, I see the impossible quite often. However-" He cut off Kara's protest. "It does seem immensely unlikely. Time will tell, I am sure. I would not worry much about it. What other times has your gift manifested itself?"

So Kara told him about seeing Tony die, about Loki being tortured, and about Selvig's failsafe. "I haven't been able to use it since."

"You've tried?"

"I mean-" Well of course she'd tried. She'd tried to use it on herself a hundred times since learning about her family and her past, but she had already let this man in to see too much. She wasn't about to give him her whole life story. "Steve took my hand yesterday, and nothing happened. And I've touched my friend and my grandmother, and nothing happened to them either. So I don't know."

"Well. What you don't know, is what you're here to find out." The Professor pulled a sheet of paper out of his desk. "This is your class schedule. All the materials needed will be provided for you."

Kara took the paper and raised her eyebrows. "English? Math? These all seem pretty mundane."

The man chortled. "Of course they do. This is a school, after all. Preparing our subjects for life in the world. Many want to be lawyers, engineers, teachers. They still have to learn life skills, and the tools of their trade. We just provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for them to do so. Even a mutant has to learn algebra and statistics." He pointed to a line on the paper. "You'll notice that your schedule is specifically modified to fit your arrangement with our guest, but it also has been tailored to your interests as well."

"Ballet?!" Kara's face lit up. "Really? You have a studio here?"

"Naturally. Your lessons to harness and train your ability are categorized as 'Independent Study,' You will meet with one of several instructors, who will help you learn to command and control what you have been given. Every day at the same time. It is crucial that you attend." He sounded very serious, and Kara nodded.

"Do all the kids here grow up to get jobs with S.H.I.E.L.D?" She couldn't help but ask.

The Professor shook his head. "Very few. It isn't something we encourage."

"Why not?"

He looked at her sternly. "My school is not a cattle farm for mutants. I do not train would be assassins and spies. I train children and harbor the lost, who want to better themselves and their world. That will not be done through deceit and espionage. It will be done through education and understanding."

Kara looked away, abashed. "Sorry."

"There is no need to apologize. You asked a question. That is something I do encourage. It is my regret that you were swept into S.H.I.E.L.D's work. S.H.I.E.L.D-" He looked at the ceiling, "I do not like their methods. They are not going in the wrong direction, but they are… a different branch of the same river. And I cannot control what they do, nor can they control what I do. Don't let them make you forget that you are the sole master of your fate." He met Kara's shocked eyes. "Now. Let's show you to your room, shall we? Your friends are waiting."

Clint was standing in the hall with Steve and Natasha when Kara and the Professor exited the office. He smiled apologetically at his niece.

"Apparently Thor wasn't too thrilled about Loki being moved. He took some convincing. That's why the delivery was late."

Kara shrugged. "I guess Thor and I agree on something for once. As long as he doesn't get out, I'm not gonna think about it."

"That's the spirit!" Clint slapped her back. "You're gonna forget he's even here after a few days." He looked so enthusiastic on her behalf, that Kara didn't have the heart to tell him that was unlikely.

The rest of the tour was quick, and the Professor assured her, while a man cut off her cast and healed her hands and arm, that she would get her bearings before too long.

"As you are an adult," he said, leading them into the dormitories, "It is permitted for you to leave the grounds, but we encourage the buddy system. And, of course, not everyone is afforded the luxury of leaving, due to their appearances. For safety reasons, you will be issued an Identification card. Don't lose it. You will swipe it to get back onto campus , and to get into your room."

"Right." Kara nodded. "What about employment? Would it be possible for me to like, find a job somewhere?"

The Professor gave her an interesting look. "If you believe you can find a place that will hire you, and you can keep up with your school work, I see no reason for you not to try."

That's a weird way to put it… Kara thought, but she agreed.

"This is your room." He stopped his chair in front of a large door. "If you stop by my office in a little bit, I'll have your ID card for you, but for now-" He held up his own card, and swiped it. He caught the look on Kara's face and shook his head. "Don't worry. As soon as the lock is recalibrated to your ID, you will be the only one who can open this door."

Kara let out a breath of relief. The door swung open, and Clint whistled in astonishment. Kara herself couldn't do anything but stare.

The room, which she had expected to be the size of a college dorm room, was almost the size of a large apartment. There was a kitchen with a tile floor that took up the back half, a door that presumably led to a bathroom to the left, and a small living room with a couch and a table that held a television. A small ladder led up to a loft that stretched about half the length of the room, where Kara figured the bed and dressers for her clothes would be.

"Are-are all the rooms like this?" She asked.

The Professor nodded. "As I said, many of our residents are full time, with several being unable to leave campus. We like to make their stay as comfortable as possible."

"And I don't have a roommate? This room- I'm the only one?"

"If you'd like a roommate, you can request one, but that's not recommended. You'll find, I'm sure, that you enjoy the space. Learning to master a mutation can be quite taxing, and incredibly invasive. You'll want a place to call your own." He nodded to the party. "I'll leave you to settle in. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask." He began to leave, then paused. "One request, -"

"Of course."

"If you would, many of our students are naturally inquisitive. It is our policy that we do not use our talents on one another, unless you have been specifically trained to do so. So please." He waved his hands meaningfully, and Kara felt her face go red.

"Yeah. Of course. Hands off. Got it."

The Professor smiled and left, closing the door behind him.

Kara shoved her hands into her pockets and turned to her companions with raised brows. "Well!" She exhaled. "I have absolutely no idea what to think!" She noticed her bags against the wall, and went to them, hoping it would give her some idea of what to do next. It didn't, and she rocked backwards onto her heels, hoping someone would say something.

Steve, sensing the girl's unease, made a show of looking around. "I think you're gonna be living better than me!" He said. He popped his head into the bathroom and looked up and down. "A full bathtub! Yep! Definitely better than me."

Kara smirked at his antics. "I noticed you had an odor," She teased, making Natasha lift a hand to hide her own smile.

"If it wasn't so chilly out today, I'd suggest we go take a look at the grounds." Clint pulled a face. "But with the wind, I don't think it'd be very much fun."

Kara lifted her shoulders dismissively. "That's probably for the best. I don't have a key yet. I don't want to get locked out on my first day."

"Are you sure? I think that'd be a great first impression."

Natasha elbowed Clint in the side. "You only say that because getting locked out of your room was the only way you made friends in college."

"Don't be ridiculous. I didn't have friends in college."

"Yeah, because you were too busy sleeping with their girlfriends."

"Tasha!" Clint hissed, a look of mock hurt on his face. He motioned to Steve and Kara, who were trying hard not to look scandalized. "There are children here!"

Kara cleared her throat. "So what's your plan? Back to S.H.I.E.L.D stuff in NYC?"

Natasha checked her watch. "Yeah. We should probably get going soon. You need to unpack and get settled. Just one last thing." She reached into Clint's backpack and pulled out a sleek looking case. She put it on the living room table and clicked it open, motioning for Kara to come kneel next to her.

Inside the case was a dark grey laptop, the S.H.I.E.L.D eagle insignia gleaming on the top.

"This is for you. You can use it to send me your reports about the missing agents." She jotted down her email and left it on the table. "You can use it for your homework too. It's just like any other laptop."

Except everything is monitored, Kara added in her head. But she appreciated it nonetheless. "Thank you, Nat." She hugged the woman when they stood up, and the redhead nodded.

"Clint is going to show me the prison before we move Loki in, then we'll be off." She looked to Steve. "Meet us by the car in fifteen?"

"I'll be there." Steve confirmed as the pair left, leaving him and Kara alone.

Kara let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding as Steve tossed himself onto the couch. Kara followed him, propping her feet up on the table.

"This is the rockies, huh?" Steve asked, leaning his head back and watching the girl out of the corner of his eye.

Kara huffed. "You know, sometimes I feel like you speak a different language." Steve punched her arm lightly.

"This is some 'crazy weird shit,' " He clarified.

Kara laughed. "And now you're reading my mind." She threw her hands into the air. "Did you know, I still have to take algebra? Like what kind of crap is that? And Statistics?"

"Golly. At least I get to do fun stuff."

Kara eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of fun stuff?"

"Paperwork, mostly. I get into the occasional argument."

"Scintillating." She turned to Steve, crossing her legs under her. "What is it you really do for S.H.I.E.L.D, Steve? I can't imagine you as a spy."

Steve shifted in his seat so he was facing Kara. "I do reconnaissance, mostly. Strategy. Locating people and retrieving agents from hostile situations."

"Do you enjoy it?"

Steve raised a blond eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, would you choose a different job, if you could. Do you like what you do?"

Steve was surprised by the intensity in the young woman's face. She clearly wasn't just trying to make small talk. She wanted an answer. Steve realized with a start that he really didn't know the girl sitting in front of him. He mentally scolded himself for thinking that he ever did. All he'd really seen of her was a tall girl that had been attacked at a party, and had somehow managed to not only get on a super villian's hit list, but had also managed to survive. Clever. Undeniably brave. Maybe a bit too guarded, and definitely stubborn. Maybe he'd thought he had her figured out because of her relationship with Natasha, but he knew that wasn't fair. What would Kara have been if she hadn't been scooped up in this? A dancer? An attorney? But now she was going to be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent, and she didn't have a choice in the matter. It wasn't fair. But if Steve knew anything, he knew that the world rarely was.

"It's hard sometimes." He admitted. "I don't always enjoy it. There's a balance. You have to remember your own values and morals, and not become someone you don't know. It's a constant struggle." He looked into Kara's fiery blue eyes. "It's worth it though. Most of the time. Helping people. Those missing agents for example, once we figure out where they are, I'll likely be on the retrieval team. A lot of them have families, and I can't say it won't feel good to help them get back to the people who miss them."

Kara wasn't satisfied. "But what do you want to be?" She insisted. "Didn't you ever want to be something?"

"It was a long time ago, Kara." Steve replied honestly, "When I joined the army, I didn't have a plan. S.H.I.E.L.D, they gave me an opportunity to make something more of myself. Gave me some sort of path to take, aside from being shipped off to be gutted on foreign shores. I don't agree with everything they do, in fact I hate a lot of it. It's a broken system."

Kara was entranced by his serious tone.

"But broken systems can be fixed. I think people like me- people like you- it's our job to do that."

There was silence for a long stretch, and Kara felt the goosebumps begin to settle back into her skin. "Do you think you'll come visit me?" She asked finally. "Do you know how to use a cellphone?"

Steve scowled at her. "Of course I know how to use a cellphone." Kara handed him hers and he put his number in.

"I'll visit you as much as I can," He promised. "Who else is gonna help you with your algebra homework?" He stood and stretched. "But now, I think I better go wait by the car, or mother Natasha will scold me."

Kara couldn't help but grin. "Keep her away from wooden spoons. She's Russian. She'll beat you black and blue."

"She does that anyway." Steve shuddered as they left the room and started down the hall.

Kara did her best to ignore the stares they got as they walked, but she could feel the weight of eyes on her. There was an unnatural hush that fell over the hall the closer they got to the main entrance, and Kara felt that she knew what they would find, even before they entered.

Steve must have guessed as well, because he paused, his hand on the handle. He glanced at the girl, his mouth in a grim line. "Head up, kiddo." He said, and opened the door.

The main entry room was completely empty, save a small gathering of people by the doors. They were Clint, Natasha, two black clad guards, and Loki.

Chained at his hands and feet, he looked like a joke compared to the regal man he'd been at Stark Tower. He still stood tall, his eyes hooded as he surveyed the room.

Kara was sure that he was aware of her the second she entered the room, but he finished his slow inspection of the mansion before turning his gleaming eyes to her.

"Ah. S.H.I.E.L.D's perfect little puppet turned schoolgirl." He said, his voice cheery, but holding a clear note of condescension. "Did you miss me?"

"Careful." Kara said back, equally as calm. Though on the inside, it was taking every ounce of her strength to remain calm. "Your irrelevance is showing."

Loki made a face like he'd sucked on something sour, but he was clearly amused.

"How's your dear little friend?" He asked pleasantly, "Did she still remember you? Or did you have to reintroduce yourself."

Kara felt a coldness run through her. How dare he. "You sound bitter." She snapped. "Finally dawned on you that it has to be a washed up god indeed who can't kill an unarmed kid?"

"Believe me," Loki said with a sneer, "If I had truly wanted her dead, she would be."

"How generous of you." Kara said dryly. She thought she could taste her teeth.

She felt Steve move up behind her, and relaxed a bit.

Loki's eyes flickered to the man, and he let a knowing smile creep across his face. "Well. This is an interesting development. The Soldier and the Assassin's Daughter. I would watch that." He caught Kara's eyes, and held them. "But I think we both know how that story ends. I wouldn't get too attached, Captain. She's learned the meaning of 'loyalty' from her aunt." He was still smiling, and what he was implying made Kara's insides feel as though she'd ingested acid.

Her disgust must have shown on her face, because she was met with a dark chuckle as Loki was led roughly away.

"What did he mean by that?" Steve whispered, staring down the hallway.

Kara didn't look at Steve until she felt her face stop burning, and until she was sure she could speak without bursting into tears of frustration. "I have no idea." She lied in a hoarse voice. She thought she could somehow feel Loki's ghostly hand on her hip, where she'd felt it before. "He's just a mad man ranting about nothing." She wiped her hands over her waist and hips briskly, as if to clear her body of the memory of Loki touching her. "Let's wait outside. I could use some air."

XxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxXxxxX

After Steve, Natasha, and Clint left, Kara picked up her ID card from the Professor's office, and headed back to her room. On her way back, a shadow dispatched itself from the wall and fell into step with her.

"Hi again." It said, and Kara jumped, fumbling her ID and nearly dropping it.

She clutched it to her chest, heart pounding as she eyed the boy who'd spoken. "Don't sneak up on me!" She gasped breathlessly.

The boy looked abashed. "Sorry." He said. It was the boy who'd taken her bags, Gaylen. He held out a hand. "I just wanted to properly introduce myself. I'm Gaylen Wright."

"Hi." Kara almost held out her own hand, then stopped. "I'm Kara, and…" She didn't want to appear rude, but the Professor had told her to keep her hands off the other students. "And I'm sorry, but I'm not supposed to touch people…" She was worried that the boy would be offended, but he just laughed musically. Kara blinked in surprise.

"Oh, you're one of those!"

Kara wondered if she had just been insulted. "One of those?"

"There're a couple of people here like that." Gaylen explained. "They can't touch anyone, because they don't have control over their powers yet. I heard rumors that a long time ago, there was a girl who had to wear gloves all the time because she killed everything she touched!"

Kara winced. "That would…really suck…"

"So what is it with you?"

"Pardon?"

Gaylen motioned to her hands enthusiastically as they continued down the hall. "If you touched me, what would happen? Will I die?"

Kara brushed her hair out of her face, gnawing on a lip. "…no…You won't die. You might see something though." She explained briefly what she meant. Gaylen looked fascinated.

"Wow! That's incredible!"

"Well, I don't know…" Kara was pleased that he was reacting so well. Nobody else had seemed to think her mutation was a good thing, much less incredible. "I suppose it's better than killing people…" They reached her door, and she turned to the boy. "So what is it that you do? Can you kill people with a touch?"

"I suppose that depends on who you ask." He flashed a white smile, and Kara giggled. Gaylen eyed the hallway, as if gaging the space. "Well, I can't show you in here, but if you step outside with me…" He let the invitation hang in the air.

Kara thought about it. She needed to unpack, get settled in, and maybe write a letter to Bruce. But on the other hand, when she was done, what was there to do? Sit and wallow in self pity and loneliness? She was too shy to try and go make friends, and she was grateful that Gaylen had come to talk to her. She didn't want to discourage him. Self pity can wait until later, she decided, letting curiosity get the better of her. She nodded. "Okay. Let's see what you got."

"Prepare to be blown away." Gaylen said proudly, leading her to a door that led outside. It was windy, and the clouds diluted the light and made the sky gray. Kara followed Gaylen a few paces from the building, her hair whipping around her face, stinging her eyes.

"This better be worth it!" She exclaimed, wiping moisture from her eyes and trying to hold her curls back with an arm. "Because it's going to take an hour and a big comb to fix this."

Gaylen grinned at her, "Are you ready?"

"I'm watching."

The boy smirked. There was a rush of air, even stronger than the wind, and Kara shielded her face. When she opened her eyes, her mouth dropped open, and she could only stare in awe.

Gaylen stood proudly, two large, feathery wings stretching out on either side of him. They were white at the top, speckled in a dark grey that faded to solid black at the ends, and they were the most beautiful things Kara had ever seen.

"Wow…" She whispered once she regained the power of speech. "I don't know what to say! They're amazing!"

Gaylen gave his wings a bit of a flap. "Thank you, thank you."

"Do they work? I mean- Can you fly?" Kara wanted to know. Gaylen scoffed.

"Of course I can! They're not just for show."

"Showing off the goods again, Gaylen?" Both Gaylen and Kara started, turning to the new voice. "Shameless, really."

A group of about eight boys and girls stood before them. The boy in front was sneering, hands shoved into his khaki's, and his sandy hair blowing to one side. He gave Kara a once over, and didn't seem to be too impressed with what he saw.

"Might as well." Gaylen's proud chin did not waver under the boy's scrutiny. "There's enough unjustified superiority here with you around. We can't all be as perfect as you."

"I suppose not," The boy sniffed. He focused his attention back on Kara, who tried to hold her chin as proudly as Gaylen's. "For someone who came with a full S.H.I.E.L.D escort, you don't look like much."

Kara furrowed her brows. "I'm sorry?"

"Oh please. We all saw them." The sandy haired boy rolled his eyes. "Some of S.H.I.E.L.D's best agents dropped you off personally. Agent Romanoff, Barton, and Captain America himself? What did you do, attack a school? Take the President hostage?" There was a wave of snickering behind him, and he looked very pleased with himself.

Kara swallowed, not sure what to say. "You know of Agent Romanoff?"

"Of course," The boy said, in a tone that implied Kara was an idiot. "Unlike some people around here, we do our homework. So what is it? What did you do that has S.H.I.E.L.D so scared that they dropped you off in an armored truck?"

"They didn't-" Kara started, then hesitated. Apparently Loki being at the school wasn't common knowledge. She didn't know how to feel about that. "S.H.I.E.L.D's not scared of me…" She muttered instead.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." The boy barked, and Kara felt herself shrink from his tone.

"S.H.I.E.L.D- they're not…I'm not a criminal." She said, louder.

The boy snorted. "Well, I'm not surprised. You don't look all that imposing. What is it you do, then? Must be something impressive, for S.H.I.E.L.D to have bothered with you."

Kara glared at the ground. Why was she cowering away from this boy. She'd helped bring down Loki. She'd helped defeat the Chitauri. Who was this kid compared to that? She met his brown eyes and raised an eyebrow. "I don't have to tell you that." She bit back.

"That's what I thought." The boy looked haughtily at her. "Just another delinquent runaway that got scooped up and dumped here. Pathetic, really." He turned his head to the group of kids behind him. "Well. That answers all my questions." He strode away, his posse following obediently.

"Forget about them" Gaylen advised as they watched the group leave.

"Who was he? Why's he such a prick?" Kara made a rude gesture at the boy's back, and Gaylen laughed.

"That's Roger. And he's no good, anyone else'll tell you the same. He and his group are just a bunch of S.H.I.E.L.D wannabes. Trying to perfect their mutations so S.H.I.E.L.D'll come scoop them up."

"Does everyone here know about S.H.I.E.L.D?" Kara inquired.

Gaylen shrugged. "Most of us have heard about it. Not everyone obsesses about it like they do. I'd stay away from them if I were you. I don't trust anyone who puts S.H.I.E.L.D on a pedestal as much as they do." He glanced at Kara out of the corner of his eye. "Why did you come here in an armored truck, if you don't mind me asking. Your mutation is cool, but it doesn't seem overly dangerous."

"I didn't come in an armored truck." Kara confided.

Gaylen clapped in mirth. "I didn't think so! So it's true! We've got a rat in the dungeon, huh? That's why the Cap. was here?"

The girl lifted a shoulder, letting her mouth lift a bit as well. "The Cap. was here for me." She confessed. "He's a friend of mine." Her heart began to beat faster thinking about it.

"Really? How'd you manage that?" He opened the door for Kara and followed her in, his wings folding up and disappearing into his back in the most bizarre way. "Wrong place wrong time?"

Kara tried to run a hand through her tangled locks, snagging her fingers and wincing. "I guess that's a good way to put it."

"And S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"If I tell you will you keep it on the down low?" She liked this boy. He had one of those personalities that made a person want to talk. And he seemed nice enough.

He smiled at her. "Yeah of course!"

Kara took a deep breath. "I am S.H.I.E.L.D. Or, at least I will be. I only just mutated a few days ago, so I have to learn what I'm doing. But I guess eventually I'll be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent."

Gaylen gave her the oddest look. "You want to be a S.H.I.E.L.D agent?" He asked incredulously.

Kara frowned. "I, I got messed up in something." She was a little hurt by his tone. "It's just something that happened. I didn't ask for it."

"Well." Gaylen punched his hands into his pockets, looking skittish. Kara instantly regretted telling him anything. "Don't let Roger know that." Gaylen finally said. "Or he'll hunt you down and demand answers." He didn't walk Kara to her room again, just strolled away down the hall in silence.

Kara stared after him, feeling like she had just been punched in the stomach. Things had been going so well. What had happened? She'd been convinced that maybe she'd made her first friend at the school, but he had just walked away, leaving her feeling weird, and somehow more alone than she'd felt before he'd spoken to her. She trudged back to her room, keeping her eyes on the floor. She could feel a sharp, throbbing headache coming on, growing worse as she moved down the hall. When she finally reached her room, she was gripping her forehead, her brow creased as she tried to massage the pain away.

She swiped her card and heard a beep, then tried the handle. It didn't move. "Come on…" She hissed through clenched teeth, swiping the card again and pressing her fingers into her temples. There was a different tone of beep, and the handle turned. She stumbled in, closing the door behind her and leaning against it, groaning in pain. It was the worst headache she'd ever had. She twisted her hands in her hair on either side of her head, desperate to get rid of the pain.

Then in a second, it was gone. As quick as a breath, it disappeared, flowing away from her. There was an awful tingling sensation, like she was biting down on a squeaking cotton ball, then that too was gone. She took a shaky breath, worried that if she moved or tried to breathe too hard, the pain would return. After a few long seconds she lifted her head, and bit back a scream.

"Hello darling." Loki said. He inspected a nail, grinning evilly at her over the gleaming blade of his scepter. "If it makes you feel better, you were right."


End file.
